


In the eye of the storm

by JLATS



Series: JLATS' post-Frozen 2 [3]
Category: Elsamaren - Fandom, Frozen (Disney Movies), Frozen 2 - Fandom, Snow Sisters - Fandom
Genre: Angst, F/F, F/M, Fluff, Frohana, Hi it's me again your Flangst crafter, Humor, Mixing fluff and angst for your best (squealing) pleasure, Post-Frozen 2 (2019), Romance, also: a twist near the end that you can't possibly expect and i will not apologize for it lol, and now they're an established COUPLE and my heart is EXPLODING, come scream at me for specific moments I know you will scream at me mwahahaha, ft. Anna and Kristoff's daughter!, happens 11 years after Frozen 2, now of course there's drama who do you think I am? enjoy those two lovebirds, this is a sort of follow-up to Emergence where Elsa and Honeymaren's feelings had blossomed
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-01
Updated: 2020-09-01
Packaged: 2021-03-06 15:47:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 53,972
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26231404
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JLATS/pseuds/JLATS
Summary: Nokk and Gale are fighting, and the magical storm they create impacts Arendelle. Elsa comes to the castle to help Anna, Kristoff, and their daughter Eydis. How to organize life now? How to stop the storm? Relationships will be tested and destiny questioned... / Happens 11 years after Frozen 2 / Fluff & Angst / Snow Sisters, Kristanna, Elsamaren / COMPLETE
Relationships: Anna & Elsa (Disney), Anna/Kristoff (Disney), Elsa/Honeymaren (Disney)
Series: JLATS' post-Frozen 2 [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1821658
Comments: 2
Kudos: 15





	1. Forecast

She was completely and utterly drenched. It had reached such a stage that she was pretty sure she was imbued with water. The deluge continued to fall on her as she stepped to the heavy doors of Arendelle's castle walls, holding her snow hood with one hand above her head to prevent it from falling back with the wind. It was useless, she started to realize, and she soon vanished it in a cloud of snowflakes. The storm was so strong that they got swept away in a fraction of second, and she watched her magic go in the horizon as she shielded her eyes from the scratching rain blowing her in all ways. The storm had gone on for nearly a week now. And even herself couldn't do anything to stop it.

She finally made her way to the door, and in the dark of the night, she didn't realize that two guards were standing by the entrance. In fact, they hadn't notice her either until now, lightening lanterns being completely useless with such a weather.

"HALT!" Barked one of them as they aimed at her. His voice was loud to both be menacing and to cover the deafening sound of the wind. "Identify yourself!"

"I'm Elsa!"

"What?" Winced the guard, wind blowing her answer away.

"Elsa the Snow Queen!"

They stepped forward to better hear her, still taking safe distances in case they needed to attack.

She cleared her throat, about to yell.

"Snow Queen Elsa, Fifth Spirit of Nature and guardian of Ahtohallan!"

As if by magic, the wind had calmed just for the moment she exclaimed her three titles, and the guards widened their eyes before promptly bowing to their former Queen and now equivalent of a goddess.

"Snow Queen Elsa, we didn't recognize you." Apologized the second guard.

"It's okay. This storm is really powerful."

"Please come in."

They pushed the doors to let her enter, and even if the courtyard was a bit more protected now it was inside the walls, she was just as buffeted after they closed the gates behind her as she made her way to the castle.

Once in, she got circled by caring maids, who exclaimed at her state. She was dripping enough water to fill several buckets and catch a pneumonia right away.

"I'm alright, I'm alright." She assured at their worried reactions.

She refused the towels and help they offered. Some servants exchanged a look. Who would be foolish enough to go out in such a storm willingly and not want to sit by a fire once in?

Elsa let out a sigh once she saw Gerda among them. She didn't even have to say anything. Her eyes screamed 'Go get my sister please'.

"I'll wake up the Queen. Wait here." Nodded Gerda.

The servant hurried upstairs, not stopping until she reached Anna's and Kristoff's bedroom. She knocked softly but urgently.

Anna groaned at the too-familiar sound on wood calling her. She hated that it was always the same sound taking her away from her blissful sleep. Would a servant ever wake her up with, for instance, a harp? Gerda insisted her knock, and the redhead groaned louder this time.

"Uhhh... Five more minutes, please." Begged Anna.

"It's urgent, your Majesty." Insisted Gerda.

Anna groaned again, and this time it woke Kristoff up. They both lifted their heads, looking at the time on the clock of the room.

"It's 3 a.m., Gerdaaaa..." Complained Anna, rubbing her forehead.

"It's Elsa, your Majesty."

"M'HERE!"

She tossed the sheets away, jolted from the bed, followed closely by Kristoff whose blood also rushed up at the sudden news. They barely made themselves presentable before rushing to the door. Gerda took a wise step aside before her Queen opened the door fast and wide.

"She's downstairs?"

The maid nodded, but Anna had the answer from her gaze. She hurried down the corridor and stairs and Kristoff gave the woman a thankful sign. As he rushed after his wife, he wondered why the hell had Elsa come to Arendelle at such a time. They weren't even on Friday. Did something bad happen to her?

When Anna and Kristoff finally reached Elsa's level in the Great Hall, she was still dripping with the exact same state. She was standing awkwardly, looking around, using the tapestry as a distraction to not clench her hands.

"ELSA!" Yelled her younger, and the wind got ripped off her lungs when something orange and green jumped to her for a hug.

"Hey..."

"Are you okay? Are you hurt? Did something happen?"

Elsa blinked, hugging her back but taken aback by the questions. "Uh... Yes, no, and yes."

Anna stepped from the hug, joining Kristoff's side. He looked at her with concern. Half of her white outfit was covered with mud, she had twigs and leaves in her short hair, and one of the shoulder pieces of her light armor was shifted. Anna came to the same observation, but also looked at her general appearance.

"Goodness, you're dripping."

"I'm fine. You know I'm not cold. I came here to—"

"Don't tell me anything until you're dry. I'll ask to make some hot chocolate for you."

"No, Anna, there's no need."

"You just came back from a storm! On foot, apparently! You—"

Elsa cut her. "Anna, it's quite urgent... I have to tell you something, but I don't want to alarm you at the same time."

"That's quite contradictory. Come on, spit it out."

Elsa gulped, raindrops running down her neck. "The reason of this storm... It's not just any storm."

"I _knew_ it!" Muttered Kristoff.

"I think that Nokk and Gale are fighting."

The couple shared widen eyes.

"What? Why?" Asked Anna.

"I have no idea!" Exclaimed Elsa, powerless.

They had saddened expressions now, and Anna stepped forward. "Then you should go to Ahtohallan for answers."

"I planned to, but I can't cross the sea. Without Nokk, there's no way to get there."

"Sure you can. I know you can."

"You don't get it. It's not a polished mirror like you always see, the sea is _raging_ now."

By the way Elsa said it, Anna knew she wasn't exaggerating a bit. And the Queen had seen the way the fjord's waves got accentuated since the storm. She gulped.

"And Nokk isn't there. They're up in the sky, battling against Gale. If they're not there to challenge me, I can't... I can't do it without them. I tried. Many times."

Anna missed a heartbeat. "How many times?"

"A... Lot."

The redhead gulped. Did Elsa sleep since then? Did she sleep at all since the storm started almost a week ago?

"Anyway, I came here with the Giants. They deposited me just above the village. They were too scared to shatter the cobblestones."

Her sentences were short, just like her breath. Anna put her hands on her shoulders, not caring if they were as wet as the rain. "Relax. You're okay now."

"But Nokk and Gale _aren't_."

Anna bent her head with a meaningful look. Elsa lifted a hand.

"Sorry, it's not that I'm overthinking it, it's just that I can _sense_ it."

"Are you certain they're angry?" Frowned Kristoff.

"A hundred percent. And I caught a glimpse of them between the clouds two days ago. They are the reason of this weather. They were turning around each other with great force. And I can feel right now that they're doing it with all their power."

Anna had a sorry pout, because she felt bad for Elsa to sense that hate in her soul and to not be able to stop her allies.

"That's why it hasn't stopped raining for all that time. And why the storm doesn't calm down." Nodded Kristoff sadly.

"Yeah, one thing that is common to all Spirits is that they're relentless."

"Hey!"

"I didn't mean that in the wrong way only." Teased Anna. "And look, I brought a smile on your face. I won."

The blonde smirked as they exchanged a gaze.

"Let's get to the meeting room. You need to sit down. Especially if you have been standing on a Giant's shoulder the whole time."

Elsa followed her in the big room, and she didn't waste time until she sat down, with the King and Queen looking at her. However, Anna couldn't focus more longer on her face when Elsa was still drenched. She signed the servants standing by the door.

"Bring her a towel, please. She's still wet."

"No, I'm alright."

"Elsa, I _know_ that you can't catch a cold, but I insist: you'll feel better if you're dry."

The Snow Queen gave her a reassuring look. "I can take care of that."

She closed her eyes, focusing, and instantly, all the water drops on her white outfit levitated in the air, delicately flying away from her skin and short hair. Her blonde locks became more yellow and fluffy in a few seconds, and all the drops went up, like rain falling backwards. Each of them slowly dissolved in the air, making it more humid, but dispersed enough in the room to not make the other feel unease.

"Heavens, I'll never get tired of that trick." Muttered Kristoff, eyes wide, and he looked like he was about to faint.

Anna had an expression that was exactly in between a smirk and a dropped jaw.

"You minx. You really got good at this, uh? I've never seen you doing it that quickly and easily."

Elsa pouted to hide her smile. "I use it a lot after washing in the river."

She was now entirely dry, and she passed a hand in her locks to clean it from dirt and twigs and leaves, and have it back in her style.

A servant brought a towel, and she used it to clean her face. Once done, Elsa put her arms on the table, not really knowing how to sit. Anna recognized in her gesture that she felt awkward now. They surrounded her in pajamas, and her gaze indicated that she would have grabbed and hug a cushion against her if there were one nearby. Only, they were in the meeting room, and there obviously was none. The Queen twirled around and opened a closet.

"Hold on."

She took something out, and when she unfolded it, Elsa understood she was about to wrap her in a blanket like a wounded animal. Yet, the "I'm fine, you know" got stuck in her throat. That blanket looked really comfy. She let her do the move.

Something small and fast suddenly barged in the room.

"AUNTIEEEE!"

They all turned around, and Elsa saw her niece come in running, her hair disheveled and bouncing on her shoulders, with her night gown rolled up on one sleeve and down on the other. The simple sight of her being an adorable mess made Elsa's heart soar.

Eydis hurried to Elsa to hug her, and the latter got tackled by the young princess with force, though she didn't mind it at all, and even encouraged it with an embrace just as loving.

Gerda came in with a heavy breathing, holding to the handle and visibly after Eydis. There was no way on Earth she would ever catch up on her. She was getting too old to cope with two generations of fiery princesses.

"Oh... Your Highnesses, I'm so sorry. She asked what all the noise was about, and when I told her that it was you..."

"It's alright, Gerda. Thank you." Laughed Kristoff.

"When did you arrive?" Asked the girl, overexcited, her big eyes staring at Elsa admiratively.

"Well, I just did." Smiled the Snow Queen.

She then realized that her niece almost was on her eye level, even though she was sit.

"Whoa! You've grown since the last time I saw you."

"And your hair has grown too." Noted the girl, frowning as she looked at it. "I preferred it when it was even shorter."

"Eydis!" Exclaimed Anna.

The princess didn't apologize, for it was the truth, and turned to her mother who had her hands on her hips.

"It's okay." Chuckled Elsa to both her sister and her niece. "Truth comes from the mouth of children!"

Eydis bit her lip with a smirk.

"And it's been a while since I last cut it." Smiled Elsa, looking down at her niece still in her arms.

Eydis wrinkled her nose. "You smell like Papa's stew."

"Hey!"

Kristoff and Elsa had said that at the same time, Elsa on a laughing tone at how frank she was, and Kristoff because that was offensive.

Anna laughed quietly behind her hand because of how bad he took the remark. The blonde smiled.

"I came here under the pouring rain, and it took me almost a day, that's why I smell like stew."

Eydis laughed.

Elsa lifted her hand to pat her niece's head. "Look at that! You're almost as tall as me now."

Eydis giggled. "But you're sit."

"Still." She smiled.

The girl knew that she was teasing and not serious, but her cheeks puffed with happiness.

Anna's tongue ticked when she saw that since Elsa hugged her daughter and now lifted her arm, the blanket had fallen to her thighs, and obviously the blonde hadn't noticed. She stepped to her, and put it back on her shoulders in a swift move. Elsa gave her a thankful and sorry look.

"Hey, maybe drink something." Suggested Anna. "Have a glass of water."

Elsa scoffed. "I drank enough rain coming here, thank you."

"Please drink. I know you by heart, I'm sure you haven't eaten and drank anything on your way."

Elsa looked at the lacquer of the table, admitting she was right. Her gaze was distracted by the shimmer of water as Anna poured a glass for her. Luckily, the meeting room always had a jug with fresh water in a cupboard – and a globe filled with bottles of strong alcohol, but it wasn't what Elsa needed at the moment – and Anna held out the drink.

The Snow Queen couldn't help but gulp the entire content almost greedily, and Anna smiled silently as she poured her another glass. Elsa muttered a "Thank you", and Kristoff bent to her to gently squeeze her arm covered with the blanket. Elsa smiled slightly at his affection, and looked down at his hand. Only then she noticed that the blanked was knit in Arendelle's colors, the spruce green and zinzolin warming her shoulders and falling on her legs, the golden crocus spreading on her back. The blonde felt like she was wrapped up in the Arendelle flag, and it made her feel protected in an unsuspected way.

"You know you're welcome here", smiled Kristoff with love. "Rest for the night, and we'll talk about all of this tomorrow."

"Okay. Thanks, Kristoff."

She took two other glasses of water, and stood up, accompanied in her move by Eydis who had been sitting on the table, her feet dangling in the air – despite Kristoff's warnings.

"I don't suppose that you need a night gown, uh?" Smiled Anna as they all walked in the corridor.

"No, I indeed don't." Smiled Elsa.

"I'll ask the maids to prepare a room." Suggested Kristoff, then Eydis tugged on his sleeve.

"Oh, Papa! Can she sleep with me? Please, please, please!"

She was begging, but there was no need. Her brown eyes were irresistible, and the King wasn't able to be authoritarian towards his daughter.

"If you want." He puffed. "Elsa, do you mind?"

"Not at all." Assured the Snow Queen. "It's been a long time since we saw each other."

She wondered if she missed her niece as much as the latter missed her. Judging by the burst of joy that emerged from her little body at the great news, she admitted that the princess was even happier than her.

"Where is Olaf?" Asked Eydis out of the blue as they made their way to the private quarters. Her head darted from side to side, even looking behind her to see if the snowman was pranking her, but he wasn't there.

"He's stuck in Ahtohallan, on the other side of the Dark Sea." Revealed Elsa. "But don't worry", she added when she saw her panic – and all had widened their eyes, actually – "He's fine, I can feel it."

They seemed reassured by her sincerity.

"He's with Marshie and the snowgies, and it's actually better that way. I know nothing will happen to them. And they kind of guard the glacier in my absence."

Anna nodded with relief and smiled at Elsa's attitude towards the situation. She passed a hand on her daughter's head. The girl didn't stay still for long, however, and already ran in her bedroom. Elsa followed, and Kristoff told his wife that he would go to theirs ahead, to which she responded that she'd come soon.

The little princess jumped on the bed, delighted to know she was about to sleep with her idol. Elsa smiled and passed behind the screen to melt her current dress and create a skin-like one, ideal to sleep in. She gave the blanket to Anna who had her arm stretched on the other side and waiting for it. When she stepped out, both the Queen and her daughter admired her sparkling work. Elsa started to melt her ice sandals.

"Where's Auntiemaren?" Asked Eydis.

Elsa stopped in her move, her eyebrows down. "Who?"

She was comically standing with one foot up and the other down, but Eydis didn't notice.

"Auntiemaren!"

"She means Honeymaren." Whispered Anna.

"Oh." Smiled Elsa, then she puffed. "Well, she... Uhm..."

She stretched her smile. "She's very busy, only I could come. We're very active, lately, with... The season of harvest and crops, you know."

Anna and Eydis bent their heads on the side at the same time. The girl then clapped her hands at a memory.

"Oh! That's why you couldn't come for a month to do game nights! Mama showed Yelena's letter to me."

"Yes, that's why." Smiled Elsa, with a sigh.

Anna frowned a bit, but was too tired to take note of Elsa's attitude.

"Okay, time for bed, you two."

Elsa climbed in as Eydis wiggled under the sheets, and Anna booped both of their noses. They all smiled, and the redhead picked up the candle she had brought, before leaving the room, slowly closing the door behind her.

* * *

Several minutes passed, and while Elsa easily found sleep, Eydis didn't stop tossing and turning, waking up every time the wind would whistle loudly outside or rain poured violently on the window.

"Auntie?"

"Hmm?" Murmured Elsa back, noticing well that the girl was waking up every time the weather got loud.

"I can't sleep."

Elsa turned to her niece.

"Are you scared of the storm? Is that why you asked for me to sleep with you?"

Eydis looked offended by her insinuation.

"No!" She assured. "That was to be with you", she added, hugging her above the sheets.

Elsa chuckled, hugging her back. After a while, she looked at her in the dark. Eydis noticed, and frowned her small eyebrows.

"I'm a big girl now. I don't wake Mama and Papa up when I have nightmares anymore."

Elsa smiled tenderly. "8 years old isn't that much. There's no shame in doing so."

The princess was stubborn however. "I don't need it!" She insisted.

"Alright, alright..." Grinned Elsa.

A moment of silence passed, suddenly interrupted by a powerful gust of wind, and the window even trembled from it. Eydis gasped and clasped her hands on Elsa's arm.

"I see." Smiled the Snow Queen. "It's the noise."

Eydis had a tiny nod.

Elsa lifted her available arm and waved her wrist in the air. A blue glow emerged from it, and with a dance of snowflakes, a large and delicate chime formed in the air, hanging from one of the joists. Floating above them with magic, the chime turned slowly, jangling with soft notes.

The little girl let out an appreciative hum, and her squeeze on Elsa's arm relaxed.

"Here. Better?"

Eydis watched how the different shapes and parts hung with thin ice strings and tapped each other as they turned, shining in the moon light. She blinked a few times tiredly, and it became blur. It was like watching stars.

"Be... Better..." She murmured before falling to sleep, her head tilting on her pillow.

Elsa smiled and placed her arm back, tucking her correctly in the bed.

She closed her eyes in turn, and let the chime lull her too.

Outside, the storm however didn't reduce, and got even stronger than before.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What did you think of this 1st chapter? It kind of works as an intro, but establish a lot of things. Yes, Elsa hasn't revealed everything. Yes, Anna noticed. Yes, Eydis is adorable (her name comes from other drabbles and a poll on Tumblr!) Yes, this is the beginning of a GREAT story. Stay tuned for more!


	2. Twister

"Morning."

"M'ning." Muttered Anna, rubbing her eyes as she entered the room.

She noticed not only that Elsa was already cleaned and dressed – though that last step took only a couple of seconds when you were the Snow Queen – but that she had helped the servants to prepare breakfast, easily guessed by the way she was standing by the table and arranging everything to be at the exact place. Anna preferred to keep her remark about her sister's perfectionism for later.

"You're already awake? How the heck?"

Elsa chuckled lightly at her vocabulary, and her smile filled Anna's soul with as much vitamins than if she had started to eat.

"I'm used to wake up at the first lights of dawn." Said the blonde. "And as you don't have shutters at the windows..."

"You saw light passing through the clouds? All I see is a gloomy weather. With such a storm, the sun is hidden all day."

Elsa realized she didn't register the second half of her sentence.

"You should put shutters or panels at the windows. I know it's not the season to do so, but soon the glass might shatter. I can feel that the wind only will blow more and more in the following days."

"M'kay." Murmured Anna, hugging her then sitting down.

She bit in a yawn to at least have a minimum of decency in front of the maids, even if most of them had known her since she was a child.

The Queen then remembered at the word 'season' that she wanted to talk to her sister about something related to it. But she couldn't grasp what it was. She blinked and shrugged, stretching out her hand to get a slice of bread.

Elsa sat in front of her, like they always did back then when she lived in the castle.

"Thanks for preparing breakfast." Said Anna after she swallowed her third toast.

The blonde smiled behind her mug of tea. "You're welcome. It's the least I could do to thank you for sheltering me on such short notice."

" _Sheltering_ you?" Repeated the younger with shock and amusement in her voice. "Do you hear yourself? Elsa, this is your home too, you're always welcome here."

Elsa smiled, and resumed to drink her black tea. She recognized in Anna's words the ones of her husband, and was touched to see that unconditional hospitality was one of their numerous common traits.

"Where's Kristoff? Don't you wake up at the same time?"

Anna pointed at the door with her thumb while she gulped her coffee with the ferocity of a beast. "He went to Eydis' room to wake her up. She takes like, ten minutes to get out of bed, so he helps Gerda."

Elsa laughed. She remembered well the state and posture of her niece when she had left her bedroom earlier in the morning. "Well, the apple doesn't fall far—"

Anna hit her leg with her foot.

"Ouch!"

"Yeah, don't even dare."

The blonde giggled as she massaged her tibia, now sore, but it was all worth it.

"Good morning darlings!" Smiled Kristoff as he entered, a robe on his pajamas while Anna didn't bother wearing something above it.

He rubbed a hand in Elsa's back and then walked to Anna to kiss her.

"What's that 'darlings' about? You don't call me honey today?" Teased the redhead.

Kristoff smiled. "There's a pot of it on the table already. I didn't want to bring confusion."

Anna eye rolled, but her sigh was also tender. "You really are the worst at puns on mornings."

He sat next to her, shrugging. "You know my brain doesn't work as long as I haven't drunk my coffee. Just like you."

They scrunched their noses staring at each other, teasing with glances.

Elsa smiled looking at them, her cheek laying on her fist.

"AUNTIEEEE!"

"Oh, the little star is here." Commented Elsa, not even turning around.

They all giggled and Eydis hugged her idol powerfully. She then did the same with her parents, and Kristoff almost swallowed his coffee the wrong way.

She ran around looking for the cushion she used to take to sit on a chair and be at their level, and then she ran back to the table once she found it. Eydis was exhaling so much childish joy on mornings that Elsa couldn't help but melt at the sight.

She comically climbed on the chair that was at the end of the table. "Auntie, do you think that Nokk and Gale will make up?"

Elsa blinked as she bit in a cookie. She did not expect that question as the first thing of the day.

"Uh... I don't know, sweetheart."

"Can't you _sense_ it?"

Eydis insisted with her gaze, but her tone hadn't been sarcastic. She was fascinated by the connection the Spirits had between them, and now Anna and Kristoff had lifted their eyes to her to know the answer too.

Elsa felt ashamed to not have what they were looking for.

"I don't... Sense anything else than the fact they put all their power in a conflict. I'm sorry."

Anna frowned with emotion. "Hey, don't apologize. You did nothing wrong."

Elsa gulped.

"And I suppose that it's the first time ever that you feel anger emanating from them, isn't it?" Guessed Kristoff.

Elsa nodded. "Indeed. And it's..." Her right hand clenched on the table. "...really unpleasant."

Anna reached for it with her own hand. "It's gonna be okay. It will all end up well, eventually. We'll find a solution today."

The blonde smiled back, and Eydis bounced on her chair.

"Yeah, it will all be okay!"

The adults smiled at her genuine positivity. The girl exclaimed:

"When Nokk will be happy again, will we ride together, me on my pony and you on Nokk?"

Elsa smiled, ruffling her already messy hair. "Sure. I miss them just as much as you do."

She especially loved those rides with her, because she always spent a joyful time with her niece, and also because it drove the Water Spirit nuts to see how slow Eydis' pony was.

* * *

Later in the morning, they all sat down in the living room to discuss about solutions. Mattias had joined them, much to Elsa's satisfaction, because she saw him rarely. Either she only had time to come for game nights and go back to the Forest right after, so she didn't get to visit him and Halima in the village, either he was busy training with the Arendelle's army.

"General Mattias. It's always a pleasure."

The man nudged her a bit as they embraced. "Please. Don't tease me. Just go for Mattias."

Elsa giggled. "I still think that this grade suits you well. It does have a ring to it."

Anna entered in the teasing game. "Oh, I only made him general because of how it sounded. Not because of his skills and wisdom. Of which he has none."

The black soldier looked at the dorky sisters with a smirk. "Are you two done?"

"And the fact he's my counselor only is for personal reasons." Kept going Anna, grinning along Elsa. "Not because he helps me in strategic meetings."

"Yeah, I heard you help Anna pick her dresses, is that right?"

They both giggled, and Mattias, even if he was amused, eyed the King from where he was.

"Kristoff, how can you even deal with those two?"

The blonde shrugged. "I don't. I actually plan to murder them with Olaf's help next week. But shh, don't tell anyone."

The sisters laughed even more, now holding to each other.

"What is going on?" Asked Eydis, entering the room with a book under her arm, finally getting out of her morning lesson. She had heard the word 'murder', which she didn't know, and would love to find out.

"Nothing", chuckled Mattias. "How are you, little Princess?"

"Great!" Beamed the little girl. "We started a new course today!"

She showed the book she had been holding.

"It's called trigged... Trigo..."

"Trigonometry?" Helped Elsa and Mattias with one voice.

"Yeah!" Exclaimed Eydis.

"Ooooh, I loved trigonometry when I was your age." Beamed Elsa. "You know, triangles are fascinating. The sum of their angles always equals—"

"Oh my goodness, please someone stops that nerd before she starts talking about fractals." Eyerolled Anna behind Mattias.

"Hey!" Grumbled the blonde, standing up after bending to her niece.

Anna stuck out her tongue as she sat on the couch next to Kristoff.

Mattias bent to Eydis. "You know, it's a really interesting and important class. I'm sure your aunt uses its rules when she crafts structures in ice. In fact, we use knowledge of it in military as well."

The princess' eyes sparkled. "Awesome! And is it practical in handiwork as well?"

The man nodded. "Of course. It's where it's the most useful, I think."

As she jolted along him, Elsa looked at her sister while she sat in the sofa by the couch. "Handiwork?" She repeated with a frown.

Anna waved her hand in the air. "She plays handiwork a lot lately. It's more 'pretend' than actually building anything, but she loves it. Craftspeople of all around the village offered her tools so she could have a little kit."

"That's adorable." Smiled Elsa.

"Yeah, well, when she taps against door frames and stairs railings late in the night saying "this needs to be fixed!" and then mimes to bang nails in it or saw some parts, it's less fun."

The blonde giggled, sorry for them but deeply amused.

"This is as cute as dangerous", said Anna, "but don't worry, she hasn't broken anything on purpose. Yet."

"Lately she said she got a new hammer, and I suspect Oaken to have given him. Let's hope she'll not use it soon." Smiled Kristoff.

"I'll maybe confiscate her toolkit..." Sighed Anna, looking at her daughter talking with Mattias.

Kristoff frowned.

"Don't, that would break her heart. She loves handiwork just like you love to read novels, Anna. It's her passion."

They smiled at the father's wisdom.

"You're right." Admitted Anna.

"And I know someone who was just as dangerous when she was her age..." Teased Elsa.

The Queen lifted her eyebrows. "Who? Me?"

The blond chuckled, turning to her. "How many times did you say you made the armors fall apart again?"

She pushed him away, but her tiny hand on his muscular chest didn't make him move an inch. "Alright, alright. I was a constant mess and she inherited from me. Here, is that what you wanted to hear?"

The two others laughed a yes.

Mattias joined them and they started to think about all the possibilities to compensate the magic storm. The discussion went on for a full hour; Elsa now was nervously fidgeting with a cushion as she declined all of their suggestions because of how impossible to do they were, and Anna was just as nervously standing up. Pacing back and forth in front of the lit fireplace, she searched for a solution to help her sister, but also her kingdom which was starting to get impacted by such a weather condition. Arendelle had known many terrible natural events in its history, but this one had been going on for many days without a pause. It started to tire the people and reduce the resources. She turned to her elder.

"Elsa, you know the best way is to get to Ahtohallan and get their opinion on this."

The blonde lifted her eyes to her, a bit annoyed.

"And _Anna_ , I told you a dozen times already that I can't cross the sea."

The Queen agitated her hands. She wasn't going to give up easily.

"We should try together. We'll cross the Dark Sea despite the storm. We're the Bridge, nothing can stop us! I'm going to ask to prepare a ship from my private float..."

Elsa widened her eyes.

"Anna, no. That's out of question."

"Why? I should help you! I _want_ to help you!"

Elsa now frowned.

"You will _not_ go in a ship to Ahtohallan!"

"What?"

"Especially with a weather like this."

"WHY?!" Erupted Anna, enraging.

"BECAUSE I DON'T WANT YOU TO GO IN A STORM ON A SHIP!"

Elsa's voice filled the room with force as she suddenly stood up. Kristoff and Mattias turned to her with shocked faces. Eydis retracted on the couch, holding her knees against her chest in fear. All got startled by how Elsa had suddenly raised her tone, something she very rarely did. Breathing heavily, she locked her eyes with her little sister.

Anna definitely was the most stunned of them all. Standing still by the fireplace, her lips trembled. She stared at Elsa intensely, but unlike the blonde's eyes which were panicked, hers eyes were sad, and filling with tears turning her vision blur. She saw that Elsa's eyes were teary as well.

She could also tell that, in that gaze, was almost printed the mental image of an Arendellian ship grimly lit by a lightning bolt and sinking in giant waves, never returning home.

The redhead gulped, gasping in a breath she had been holding.

"Elsa, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to..."

The elder sighed. "Yes, I know..."

She closed her eyes and rubbed her forehead. "But still, please never bring up that suggestion again. Ever."

The room remained silent, and she picked up the cushion she had made fall to the carpet when she stood. However, she didn't sit to hold it against her. She put it back on the sofa, and walked to the door.

"I... Sorry, I need a break. I'll meet you guys later."

Anna gasped.

"Elsa..."

Her voice was weak and devastated, and she bit her lip in a pout as the blonde left the room.

The two men exchanged a look, not daring to add a word, and Eydis stared sadly at the spot where her aunt's back had turned to the corridor.

The Queen crossed the room to go after her, but Kristoff held her arm. He stood up to be at her side. He shook his head.

"Don't push her. You know you have to give her some space."

"Yes, of course." Murmured Anna grudgingly.

She lowered her gaze, and agreed with him. Anna could only clear her throat and change the topic, so they would talk about something else until she felt the time was right to go talk with her sister.

* * *

"The past is in the past", Elsa had often said through the years since they got closer again.

The redhead held to this promise with dear life. By experience with her sister, Anna knew that her time alone wouldn't be long, and that she was allowed to gently ask to burst her bubble.

As she walked up the stairs, she felt like it was entirely her fault if Elsa was nervous after their argument and needed to isolate herself. She should never have suggested this stupid idea of going on a ship! Why did she suggest this stupid idea of going on a ship?!

Anna was so angry at herself that her knock on the wood of the door actually was stronger than she meant. However, Elsa didn't respond. Usually, she would say "Come in", or just "Hmm" to indicate Anna was welcome to enter. But here, nothing.

The younger's heart clenched. Persuaded she was the problem, she didn't dare to open the door, even if it looked unlocked.

"Elsa..."

She gulped. Why was it so hard to do that again? She knew that years had gone by, that their relationship was completely different and open now. It was so difficult to dive into this setting once again. Anna had known this situation for ages, but nothing could have prepared her to return to it.

Her hand clenched in a fist against the lacquered wood.

"Elsa, please, answer me. Please."

Without realizing it, her breathing sped up.

"Elsa..."

The Queen was rapidly having a panic attack. Not again. Not this situation. Please, gods, anything but this situation again. She couldn't go through it again.

Her legs felt like cotton, and she fell on her knees on the corridor's carpet.

Anna's nails rasped the door.

"Elsa, I'm—"

"Anna, what are you doing?"

The redhead gasped loudly, and in the gesture, she swallowed a water drop, which was a tear that had fallen on her face and she hadn't noticed.

She spun around, falling on her butt as she did because of how fast she turned, and saw that Elsa was walking to her with frowned eyebrows and a concerned face, closing the book she visibly had been reading.

"Why are you here crying on the floor? What is going on?"

Anna had to gulp to form an answer, and in the meantime, the blonde's eyes darted to the door. Everything clicked in her mind like a puzzle.

"Oh Ahtohallan, you thought I shut you out?"

The redhead was unable to answer something else than a bubble of cry, her lips twitching in a tearful pout. She nodded, trembling. Elsa urged to go crouch to her.

"Anna... Hey, hey, it's okay. Come here."

The younger didn't wait for a second call. She launched herself in her arms and sobbed silently on Elsa's shoulder. The Snow Queen recognized the too-familiar behavior of a panic attack, and she passed a hand along Anna's back and in her long hair to soothe her breathing. Acting like magic, and maybe it was, the redhead calmed quickly, melting in Elsa's embrace. The elder held her tight.

"I'm so sorry. I went to the library to get a register, and..."

She didn't add more. What was the purpose? She felt terrible for making Anna believe she didn't want to see her.

Elsa delicately parted the hug, and looked at her sister in the eyes.

"I would never, ever shut you out, okay? I know I'm still very bad at making it clear on why and how I need time alone, but... It's never to abandon you."

Anna nodded, gulping loudly again, and gasping because she still had her throat twisted by her emotion.

"Sorry for doubting it." Admitted the younger.

Elsa gasped in an exclamation as she rubbed Anna's tears. "You're really not the wrongdoer, you know!"

Anna had a smile at the corner of her lips. Minutes passed as Elsa made sure that her little sister retrieved her normal breathing. Finally, they stood up, and after she cleaned her face, Anna saw the book she picked from the floor.

"That's a register?"

"Hmm-hmm." Nodded Elsa, showing it to her.

As Anna turned the pages and realized what it was meant to take in account, Elsa continued: "Our argument earlier... That actually gave me an idea. Follow me."

The redhead blinked in confusion, but walked behind her elder through the castle, until they reached the servant's room where she knew Kai and Gerda would be at that time of day. Elsa asked if they were available, and the four of them went to a silent spot in the corridor.

"Kai, Gerda... You're the oldest servants we have. What I mean is, you were there when the accident with our parents happened."

The two widened their eyes, and Anna turned to her sister with emotion.

"Do you remember if the storm that happened that night was the same than the one occurring when Mother and Father were lost at sea?" Asked Elsa.

The maid looked at the ceiling as she thought. "Hum... Maybe..."

Her gaze then went from one sister to another. "Can't you tell?"

Elsa had a sad smile. "Anna was too shocked by the loss to remember it in detail, and me too, but I also was locking myself indoors, so I could tell even less about the weather..."

Anna turned to her sister again. She knew how shocked she was? Of course she knew. But that still was touching.

"I see..." Nodded Gerda.

"Well... We can't really know." Said Kai, looking sorry. "It was a stormy night like any other."

Gerda agreed. "I only remember that ships were unadvised to go sail that night and all stayed on the harbor, but the ship of your late parents had already departed an hour or so before..."

Anna lowered her eyes. "The wind had come up after they left. It was just misfortune."

"Yes."

Something held Anna's hand and it surprised her. Elsa squeezed her touch, and the redhead smiled sadly. "It was a good idea to investigate on that." She said. "But apparently, the two events don't coincide."

Kai looked at them. "Indeed, the storm which happened that day wasn't magical in any way."

Gerda turned to Elsa. "I have yet to understand fully the nuance between the magic of the Spirits of Nature and the science of meteorology, but the storm that happened that day more than ten years ago truly wasn't the same that we endure today. It was less intense and shorter."

Elsa nodded. She also paid attention to the subtext Gerda gave when she said she still was confused about knowing that there were Spirits associated to elements, and that the soft and shy little princess she had seen grow up had become a goddess able to command them.

"Thank you for your precisions." Smiled Anna.

Once they both bowed and returned to their activities, she turned to her elder. "It was brilliant that you came up with that conclusion."

Elsa looked at her, her eyes a bit lost in a reflection.

"I can't tell if the news that this is not the same kind of storm makes me relieved or worried..."

Anna winced. "Me neither."

* * *

Eydis, however, was extremely relieved to see her aunt back after her other class of the morning, jumping at her sight at the lunch table. After the first course, she asked her to make a dome to cover her plate because she heard her mother on the other side of the table say that she was capable of doing everything with her magic. Elsa smirked, and flicked her wrist in the air. A glass-like cloche made of ice fell on her dish with a satisfying 'click' like it was tailor-made.

"Waaaoh!" Exclaimed Eydis, and she clapped in admiration like Elsa just did something utterly incredible.

The Snow Queen grinned however, because coming from her, it was a lovely compliment.

"Eydis, eat your vegetables. If you let it too long under Elsa's dome, it will get colder." Warned Anna.

"Yes, Mama." Pouted the girl, grabbing the cloche with her tiny hands to put it aside.

Elsa bit her lip and wiggled her finger, and in a crisp of frost, Eydis hands got stuck to the ice. She noticed it by the sensation and the fact she now was unable to put it down, and she giggled loudly.

"Auntieeee!"

Elsa laughed openly. Eydis continued to shake the dome up and down to get rid of it, laughing even more.

"Elsa, please let her eat."

The blonde rolled her eyes at Anna being a killjoy, and vanished it. The princess was disappointed, but the Snow Queen pointed at the vegetables to remind her it was important for her to eat them.

Elsa and Anna chatted lightly and after a while, it reminded the little girl of the argument they had a few hours before.

"I can build a ship."

Elsa turned to her. "Pardon?"

" _I_ can build a ship to bring you to At-the... A-tho..."

"Ahtohallan." Smiled Elsa.

"Yeah. That."

"You can build ships? Entire ships?" Teased Elsa.

"Yes I can!" Exclaimed Eydis, thinking she doubted of her. "I've become really good at building stuff! I have all the tools! I even have screwdrivers! And I have rulers, and a new hammer, and I even got a chisel and—"

"A chisel?" Suddenly worried the blonde.

"I took it away from her."

Elsa sighed at Anna's sentence, easily imagining the fiery princess running around the castle with such a blade.

"But I need it to help the village's carpenter!" Pouted Eydis, shocked to know her mother did such a thing.

"You'll help him by _assisting_ him", calmed Kristoff, finding a compromise.

It seemed to work, because the girl grumbled but returned to eating what was in her plate.

"Every Wednesday, she goes in the village and he teaches her some stuff. The architect working with him once said that she's got good pen stroke skills. Apparently, she already got perspective, which is rare at her age." Told the man.

Anna chew on her piece of cheese and pointed at her elder.

" _That_ is something she inherited from you."

Elsa smiled with delight, and she felt her cheeks get warmer in pride. She looked down at Eydis, and her smile disappeared when she saw that the girl currently was pulling her steak with her teeth. Anna sighed.

"Elsa, could you help the carnivore cut her meat?"

Eydis whined and Elsa complied, giggling.

After she did, she turned to her sister and brother-in-law.

"I'll take notes of the weather's intensity today, and see if it gets worse tomorrow. In the morning, I'll go investigate to see how big the storm is, and to which scale it extends."

"I'll come with you." Announced Anna.

Elsa frowned. "No, don't let me go on how dangerous it is for you."

"I don't risk anything if I'm with you." Underlined the redhead, knowing well what arguments to use with her.

The blonde got speechless.

"Touché." Muttered Kristoff as he drank his glass of red wine.

"Will you request for the other Spirits' help?" Inquired Eydis.

"Maybe I'll ask for the Giants to give us a hand, yes. Quite literally." Smiled Elsa.

"And will you need my help?"

The Snow Queen heard in that question that her niece was desperately asking for her to say yes to bring some adventure to her daily life, and the following day surely was filled with boring classes. However, she had to say no. She would never risk Anna's life, all the more for Eydis.

"No, but you'll be very helpful once you'll learn everything about trigonometry to help the carpenter."

"Really?" Beamed the princess, not even realizing she diverted the topic.

"Yes! And if you're nice, I might buy you a spirit level. It will be your most precious asset in handiwork, trust me."

Eydis' eyes sparkled even more. "Is it magical?"

"What? No, it's based on a bubble—"

She then realized what she had just said, and that she was talking to a child.

"Yes. Yes obviously. It's magical. It's a _spirit_ level, of course it is."

"Awesome!"

Eydis then returned to her plate, and Elsa exchanged an amused look with her parents.

"Spirits magic really is awesome." Muttered Eydis, chewing on her meat.

* * *

"Can I sleep with Auntie tonight as well?"

Kristoff snorted. "This is becoming a habit, uh?"

Eydis pushed the storybook he was reading her by the fire in the living room and turned with an adorable pout.

"Pleeeease."

She then looked genuinely sad. "I don't see her often."

The King melted at the sight. "Sure, I'll go tell her."

He stood up and she clamped to him like a baby koala. "No, wait, stay."

Kristoff smiled. "Why?"

As an answer, the wind outside started to blow, making the windows tremble. It made a haunting sound when it passed by the chimney, and the flames danced a bit. They didn't notice the storm much by day when they were inside, because they were busy or talking, but now that night had fallen, the castle was quiet, and it emphasized its violence.

"You're scared of the storm?"

She shook her head to say no, but her red cheeks and glittering eyes stated the opposite. Kristoff held her tight.

"Hey, it's okay. It's just wind and rain. You're safe in the castle."

"But it's magic."

He passed a hand on her hair. "Yes, but this magic will never harm you. I promise."

Kristoff then smiled. "Is it company you look for? Do you want me to sleep with you tonight?"

Eydis grumbled, stepping out of the embrace. "No! I'm a big girl now. I don't need you to take care of me like a baby."

Her father understood that she was referring to him and Anna. "Okay."

She hugged him again however, and Kristoff took note that sleeping with her aunt, even if she was close family, didn't make Eydis feel like she was smothered.

When he joined Elsa later and he told her her wish, he also shared his thoughts.

"Yeah, it's very common for children of her age." Nodded Elsa. "Many Northuldra kids ask for a separate hut before they even are ten years old. It's normal, and it will pass. Trust me. Neither Anna or me were like that at her age, for we had a... Quite special childhood... But I'm certain that it's normal for Eydis."

"I'm not really a reference either." Chuckled Kristoff nervously, for he got raised by trolls.

"I'll sleep with her and keep an eye on her, don't worry. It makes me happy too."

"Great."

An hour later, Eydis and her were under the sheets, and this time the princess didn't request a chime, for the wind had calmed down to the benefit of rain, now a downpour. Thankfully, the drops weren't pushed to the windows, so it was a rather calm night, and Elsa smiled when she saw how soundly her niece was sleeping. She soon closed her own eyes and let herself drift to sleep.

* * *

Eydis coughed lightly when she swallowed something tiny and cold. She frowned, her eyes still closed, and rubbed her mouth. As she did, the girl felt the familiar sensation of sharp touches of a snowing day and wondered why she felt it on her skin then. It must be a very realistic dream...

She fell to sleep again, turning on her pillow, but was woken up by a second tiny and cold thing falling in her ear this time. With a groan, she shook her head and wagged her arms around to get rid of what she thought were flies. Confused, she opened her eyes, and her brown irises sparkled at the sight of a billion snowflakes falling in her bedroom.

They magically formed under the ceiling, then dropped slowly to the floor, vanishing just before hitting the carpet and the parquet. Eydis forgot to blink for a moment because of how jaw-dropping she was, and winced with clenched eyelids when she remembered that she had to. She kneeled then stood on the bed, watching what was happening in awe. Like silver dust, the snowflakes started to form a forest, and two people running around the trees. They didn't look very real, thought Eydis, and it reminded her of the illustrations in the storybooks her father read to her. She wondered if she were dreaming, and pinched her arm. After a wince, she noted that she definitely wasn't; as awesome as it was, what was happening in her bedroom really was happening in her bedroom.

Eydis hummed. She had heard multiple times from her mother that Elsa would sometimes conjure snow when she's upset. The little girl felt sad for her, and looked down at her aunt's face, but she was sleeping peacefully, even smiling. Everything clicked in the princess' brain: Elsa's smiles and moans were in sync with what was happening in the air. Was she controlling that show? Was she pranking her? No, she looked like she was genuinely sleeping, even if she had a calm breathing, just like her father when he had naps on the couch.

Eydis stood up, admiring the scene, not daring to touch the little characters at first, but then interacting with them with her fingers, following the trail of the forest that got drawn here. She squinted as she tried to understand who the two persons were. One looked just like Elsa, and the other, she couldn't quite understand, because they kept jumping on tree logs while the magic-drawing-Elsa laughed at her. She heard them both laugh, and it sounded weird, like it was distant and pitched like a bell.

The princess turned around the room to see more. The two were playing 'catch me' and giggling louder and louder in the forest. Eydis turned when she heard Elsa laugh slightly in her sleep. Suddenly, the magic-drawing-Elsa got caught by the other person because they had been hiding behind a tree, and Eydis finally recognized who it was when they talked, still with a bell-like voice.

"I won! Told you I could get you in no time." Laughed Honeymaren.

"Okay, okay, one point for you. I'll do the dishes."

Eydis heard Elsa laugh again in the bed, and she beamed at the scene. So it was Elsa and Honeymaren playing! She saw the mini-Elsa picking up pots and spoons and walking to what looked like a river, wide and going through the whole bedroom. It flowed like actual water with all its tiny snowflakes strolling in one move, and Eydis couldn't help but touch it with a "Woaaaw..."

She had to show this to her parents. She ran to the door, her forehead going through ice projections of branches, and she blinked with a giggle when it fell to her eyes. Eydis shook her head and ran in the corridor to her parent's bedroom.

"Mama! Mama!"

Anna grumbled at the sudden intrusion, noise and weight on her as Eydis jumped on the bed.

"Your daughter is awake", muttered Kristoff.

Anna sighed. "Sorry, but I technically have 'People of the Sun' blood, so before sunrise, she's your daughter."

"Mama!" Insisted Eydis, shaking Anna's shoulders specifically.

"What, sweetie?" Murmured the redhead.

"Elsa does magic!"

"Yes, we're aware."

"She is having visions! She has magic all over! The whole bedroom has ice in it!"

It took Anna a second, then her eyes opened wide.

"What, WHAT, _WHAT?_ "

Those three informations were very alarming.

"Come, quick!"

No need to tell her twice. Anna jumped out of bed, hurrying. She was way faster than her daughter, and opened Eydis' bedroom door wide. She gasped when she saw the scene. Just like Eydis, she couldn't help but contemplate it. She looked at every detail, at the trees, at the rocks, at the way they were made of what looked like a billion of stars. Emotion roamed in her heart and in her guts. It simply was one of the most beautiful things she had ever seen in her life.

"Incredible..." She whispered.

Eydis finally arrived, and bumped headfirst into her back.

Stumbling, her mother then walked to Elsa still sleeping soundly, and was about to wake her up, but she looked so happy and peaceful with a smile matching her dream that she didn't dare to.

"Mama!" Exclaimed Eydis, rubbing her forehead. "Why did you stand there? It hurts!"

She had been talking with a regular voice, and Elsa stirred in her sleep. She frowned, and her dream projection softly vanished. The sparkles of magic disappeared, much to Anna's and Eydis' disappointment.

Elsa blinked, and suddenly widened her eyes when she saw her sister and her niece staring right at her in the dark.

"Uhhh... Hello?"

Anna inspected her face, like she was checking for fever signs by a simple gaze.

"...What is going on?" Worried Elsa.

"Are you okay?"

"I... Well, yes. I'm perfectly fine."

A smile even stretched her lips. She actually felt great. She couldn't tell why, but her brain was filled with happiness.

"Why are you two looking at me like this?"

Anna sat on the sheets in front of her sister.

"Elsa... Your dream was materializing."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wooohooo! That was a long chapter. I think that the last time I wrote a chap this long, it was for Emergence. I hope you liked it! I try to put clues and foreshadowing of what will happen next in this big story and I'm sure it's teasing you guys :P
> 
> Thank you so much for the positive feedback for chapter 1 (especially those who follow me on Tumblr!), I'm amazed that you liked the premises this much. Now you're about to die from the Flangst... (the fluff and angst balance XD)
> 
> If you enjoy my writing style and can't wait for next chapter, type "Untangling the Frozen Knots book" on Google! Reading a 140k words fanfic on paper is super comfy :D


	3. Pressure

"What did I dream of?" Asked Elsa.

Eydis and Anna looked at each other, a bit unsure. The Queen cleared her throat.

"Uhm... I mostly remember woods, and a river... I think it was the Enchanted Forest. I didn't really get time to see much of it. I was most of all amazed by its details than the actual thing in general. Eydis has seen it all. What was it about, sweetheart?"

The little princess pouted as she thought.

"Hummm... You were doing the dishes."

A blank passed. Kristoff eyed his sister-in-law.

"...The dishes? Why would you dream about doing the dishes?"

He then frowned. "And why would the very first of your materialized dreams be about _doing the dishes?_ "

Anna squinted at him. "There is nothing demeaning in doing the dishes."

Kristoff reassured her with a smile. "That's not what I meant. Dishes is an everyday task. Why did Elsa dream of this one? What was so particular about this one?"

The blonde blushed at his question.

"Nothing... Much. Nothing much about it."

Anna lifted an eyebrow. She kept eye contact with her sister as she asked her daughter again about what was Elsa's reaction during the manifestation.

"She smiled and laughed all along." Grinned Eydis, happy to help.

A smirk extended Anna's lips as Elsa sipped her tea nervously.

Worst. Breakfast. Ever.

* * *

The wind was blowing strong when Anna and Elsa stepped out, but thankfully, the rain was in the form of scattered showers now, so it would be a good setting to see how the storm evolved with the help of the Earth Spirit.

While Elsa literally didn't wear anything different than the clothes she had inside, which was her white outfit with a recent addition of light unbreakable armor pieces made of her ice, Anna was sporting four different layers of clothing.

"You should put your gloves on."

"Don't exaggerate. I know that you're not bothered by the cold, but this weather is fine. I've seen worse."

"They will be useful for later." Smirked Elsa. "We will be climbing a Giant, remember?"

"I hope it won't be dangerous."

Years of leader maturity and maternal instinct had brought prudence to her vocabulary.

"Don't worry, Stan is very careful."

Anna scoffed. The Fifth Spirit thought she was laughing because of the personality trait, but she laughed because of the name.

"Stan?"

"Yes. He's one of the Giants. The one who has a flat forehead, you know?"

The younger looked at her sister with fascination as they made their way through the village and to the limits of it. She was able to recognize each and every Giant?

"Did you seriously name all of them?"

"Well, yes. They don't have names, so when I need their help independently, it's useful. Also, they may have a hive mind and act as one Spirit, they're all different, you're aware of that?"

"Of course I am", genuinely answered Anna. "I'm the other half of the Bridge, may I remind you. And I do my homework."

Elsa smiled and nudged her sister with her shoulder. She nudged her back.

"By the way, I named him Stan because—"

"It's a word game with 'stone'. Yeah, I got it. I have an Elsa-has-terrible-humor sixth sense."

Elsa started lifting her arm to tap her head, but Anna grinned and ran away, so they ran after each other until the end of the village.

Once they reached the bottom of the mountains where no house was, panting and laughing, Elsa stopped walking and turned her face to the heights, closing her eyes. She focused in a way that was familiar to Anna and never ceased to amaze her. She was calling to another Spirit. The redhead particularly loved the way Elsa smiled when she did so, because she sensed the other's energy before actually asking for their help. If she was calling to a Giant playing around, she had a chuckle, or if she was calling to Bruni and he was currently making a mess somewhere, she had a groan. Here, she just smirked, so Anna guessed that so-called Stan was sleeping.

"He was sleeping." Announced Elsa once she opened her eyes. "But he's on his way. I told him that you were with me and he's coming as fast as he can without making an earthquake."

Anna grinned. The Earth Spirit always has had a soft spot for her for the past 11 years. After all, she was the one who succeeded in their challenge. And as Nokk, Gale and Bruni each were one entity, and that the Earth one was composed of tens of individuals, she always felt proud of being the side of the Bridge who technically won against the most Spirits. The ground trembled slightly, but only slightly, when Stan made his approach.

He shadowed over them, but it was the opposite of a threat; he smiled when he saw Elsa, then grinned widely when he saw Anna, his mouth the size of a house.

"Waow, now I recognize him. He's one of the tallest, isn't he?"

"Yes, he is. He's one of those who escorted me to Arendelle, and his size is perfect for what we need to do."

He bent his head to them, and the two sisters touched his chin with their hands. They exchanged a glance, beaming in happiness, and Elsa approached closer to put her forehead against him. They magically exchanged like they did before, and this time, Elsa told him their plan.

He grunted in approval. The Snow Queen turned to her sister.

"Okay. He knows what to do."

Stan reached out his hand, which was the size of three houses, noted Anna, and the redhead nervously looked at her elder.

"After you!" Invited Elsa with a smirk.

Anna had never done this. She felt very nervous, but Stan seemed to sense it and lifted one of his fingers to help her grab something as she climbed.

"Wow, wow, wow!" She exclaimed when the hand started to move, and Elsa was casually laid against the Giant's thumb, her arms crossed nonchalantly as Anna was holding to another finger with all arms and legs around it.

She peeked down and saw the ground go away at high speed as Stan brought them up to his shoulder, depositing Elsa there, then aiming at his second shoulder, putting Anna down.

The Queen didn't want to let go of the finger. Elsa smiled.

"Anna, it will be okay. Give him his hand back."

"Uhgh?" Blabbered her younger, staring at the ground more than twenty meters below.

Elsa had to bite her lip to not laugh and mock her.

"Trust me, Stan has excellent reflexes. He'll catch you if you fall."

She believed her sister enough to accept. She however grabbed a fault in the rock forming the Giant's cheek and used it as a handle to keep her balance. Elsa was staring at her as she stood on the other shoulder, standing straight with only her hand against Stan's face, but it was for good measure and respect. Anna's jaw dropped.

"How can you do that with _ice sandals?_ "

Elsa smiled. "The experience. I was like you at first, don't worry."

Stan started to climb up the mountain, and Anna saw how much height they were about to take so she preferred to look at her sister's face, the most reassuring thing she could do in such a stressful time.

"So, are we going to continue that discussion?"

"Which one?"

"The one about your magic dream."

"Don't call it that way!" Blushed Elsa. "Besides, is it really the moment?"

"It's _definitely_ the moment. Nobody can hear us here, and I've seen how bashful you were at breakfast. Come on, tell me!" Grinned Anna.

Elsa looked down, which the redhead misinterpreted.

"Is it because we're with Stan? I'm sure he won't repeat it. Right, buddy?"

The Earth Giant chuckled with its cavernous voice as he climbed up, and it had a haunting sound, but Anna laughed along.

"See? Now come ooooon, please Elsa!"

The blonde now was amused.

"Why do you sound like you're about to have gossip?"

"Because it _is_ gossip! That dream, it was Honeymaren and you, right? In a cheerful moment, right? Why was this dream the very first dream ever that you get to materialize? And I hope it won't be the last."

Elsa now blushed.

"Maybe..."

"Maybe...?" Smiled Anna.

"Will you let me finish?" Grunted Elsa.

"You seem very reluctant."

"Because I don't know how to say it, it's more of a feeling!"

Anna smiled so much, her cheeks puffed. "Ohhh, is that so?"

Elsa grumbled a 'stop it.' She wished they had arrived to the spot already. Honeymaren and her had been together for almost 10 years, and she still felt modest talking about it.

"It's because it was a very happy memory, right?" Guessed Anna, her voice calm.

It actually took Elsa out of her thoughts.

"Yes, it was."

"Did you actually dream of it, or was it a memory submission from Ahtohallan?"

While Elsa thought, Stan had reached the top of the mountain.

"No, it truly was a dream of mine."

"I see." Smiled Anna.

"What do you see?" Groaned Elsa.

She turned to her with sarcasm, and Anna's eyes had widened to the size of two big teal blue balls.

"I see a disaster."

"A disaster?" Repeated Elsa. "Wow, that's really harsh. I won't ask you for advice agai—"

"No, Elsa, _look!_ "

She had held tight to the Giant's face with one hand so she could use the other to turn her sister's jaw the other way, and show her the horizon.

Elsa's face went even paler than the usual.

"Oh no..."

It was even worse than she had imagined in her worst-case scenario. She had thought that the storm had started with Nokk and Gale's fight in the Forest, and that it reverberated to Arendelle's kingdom because it was close, but what Anna and Elsa witnessed now was the ultimate proof that the storm had gone very, very much more than a simple local magical event.

The storm was extending to the horizon. Literally the horizon. Even Elsa, whose sight got sharpened since she lived in the woods and became used to hunt, couldn't see the limits of it. It seemed infinite, in the saddest of ways.

"It..." Croaked Elsa, her voice twisted by the ball in her throat.

"It has extended to the whole country." Murmured Anna.

Elsa started to lose her balance. Breathing heavily, her vision became blur, and she felt like she was a second away from fainting. Stan felt her distress, sharing her deep sadness, and anticipated her fall by raising his hand against the shoulder she was on. The Snow Queen grabbed to the smallest finger, and breathed in and out calmly, holding tight to it.

"Thank you." She murmured to the Giant, her temple against the rock, her heart pounding so fast that she was pretty certain the other Spirit could sense it there.

Anna hadn't notice Elsa's prevented fall because she had been staring at the horizon with a hand covering her mouth in shock.

The Queen recognized every land that was affected by the storm, covering them with a gloomy atmosphere with dark clouds filled of heavy rain and pressured air announcing tempests. Each of them being neighbors of Arendelle. Allies. All those regions may have different rulers, but they belonged to the same country.

A silence passed, only rhythmed by the sinister sound of wind.

"I have to do something."

The two sisters looked at each other. In another context, they would have laughed and played on the fact they said it at the same time. But this was not the time for games. It was one with adult decisions.

"This is all my fault." Started Elsa. "It's my duty as the Fifth Spirit to keep an eye on Nokk and Gale and ensure that everything is alright. I have to try reaching for their energies and—"

"As a leader, I should go help the other kingdoms and ask if they need us to share our resources." Stated Anna above Elsa's voice. "I need to organize an international council so we could decide of the urgency—"

They suddenly realized that their objectives weren't crossing at all. In fact, they were filling the other completely. For once in a very long while, they had nothing to contradict, nothing to prevent the other from doing, and they had established correctly their tasks.

Anna had an amused smirk. "So this is what we do, uh?"

"Looks like it." Breathed out Elsa.

The wind blew hard, and now that they were high in the sky, they had nothing to get sheltered. The Giants had managed to protect Elsa from the magical storm with their hands on her way to Arendelle, but Stan couldn't do much on his own with one person on each shoulder.

He sent a mental warning to Elsa, who nodded.

"Anna, hold on to my hand. We're going down."

The redhead made her way to the ground with her elder and the Giant's help. Stan returned to the mountain he was sleeping against, acting to make sure that it wouldn't crumble into the fjord because of the uprooted trees.

The Snow Queen looked at him go, and she started to tremble, but this had nothing to do with the weather, and Anna perceived it. She walked around her sister and put her hands on her shoulders once she faced her to incite her to not panic.

"Elsa. Look at me. We'll find a solution together, and this can also mean that we'll do the best of ourselves separately. You got it?"

All worry left Elsa's heart the second Anna's powerfully warm voice got to her heart.

"Yes, I do."

She approached her forehead, and Anna smiled as she willingly touched hers.

"Together. Always."

"Always."

They stayed like that, in the embrace of the other, enjoying this moment and each other's positivity. They knew that this force would forever be theirs, just like their bond was unique and their complementarity the best asset.

After a moment, Anna shivered.

"But maybe we should go back to the castle for now." She chuckled.

"Yeah, good call." Laughed Elsa. "Come."

They quickly walked back to the castle, laughing nervously.

"So did you give all the Giants different names?"

"Why yes."

"Let me guess, one of them is called Brock."

"How do you— Just kidding, none of them is called Brock. But that's a nice one, I'll think of it if one of them want to change."

"Oh, so you let them choose."

"Obviously. I'm not a monster. Stan loves his name, for example."

Anna smiled. "It's a cute thing to do."

"It's also because the Northuldra very rarely name things. So it's a little game I allow myself. Bruni is named like that because it literally is the Sami word for 'fire'. Nokk's name is based on the legendary nokken. But the Wind Spirit has no name, just like the Earth one. The Northuldra rarely use the name 'Gale', actually."

"Yeah, Ryder corrected me about it the other day."

They had reached the gates. Once they passed the doors, the servants closed them behind the sisters with relieved gasps to see they were safe and sound. They helped Anna change, and the redhead rubbed her hands together.

"Maybe a minute or two by the fire would be great."

Elsa nodded and they walked to the living room.

As they did, they bumped into a very distressed Kristoff in the corridor.

"Thanks gods you're here."

Anna frowned. "What happened?"

The King looked overwhelmed.

"Kristoff, what's going on? Why do you look so panicked?" Worried Elsa.

He couldn't add a word, so they followed him in the living room, where someone was standing.

Here, removing her fur coat and covered with rain from head to toes, a familiar Northuldra swirled to them when she heard them enter. Anna recognized her with surprise.

"Honeymaren?"

The brunette took off her hat, and when she met Elsa's eyes, hers filled with rage and she frowned, angrily pointing her finger at her.

"YOU. We need to TALK."

Her girlfriend gulped.

* * *

Elsa was frozen still.

"Honey? When did you— Where did you— Why?"

Honeymaren put her hat down. "Nice to see you too."

Kristoff interfered. "She just arrived. I put her reindeer in the stables. Sven is delighted to have a buddy. He's getting old and a little company is exactly what he needs."

Elsa's eyes switched from the man to Honeymaren.

"You came here on a REINDEER? In such a STORM?" Shouted Elsa.

The brunette's jaw dropped. "Don't you even _dare_ to be the one to raise your voice. _You_ went through this storm on your own as well WITHOUT TELLING ME!"

Kristoff winced and took this as a call to leave the room discreetly.

Elsa blabbered before formulating her response.

"I was planning to send you an ice statue to tell you I'm alright!"

Honeymaren put her hands on her hips.

"Uh-uh? And when?"

"Well... When I..."

"When you would finally assemble the courage to tell me, isn't it. And I suppose that Anna didn't know that I didn't know?"

The redhead bit her lip in awkwardness as the two turned to her. She shook her head to say no, and the couple resumed their dispute.

Anna missed a heartbeat. So that was the thing she tried to remember the day before! When Elsa had said 'season', it reminded her of the suspicious way her sister had explained Honeymaren's absence. Sure, the season of harvest and crops had been keeping them busy, but she had thought it had ended by now. It was clear in this moment: Elsa had lied. Honeymaren absolutely was available. The blonde only had kept it secret that she came to Arendelle. Anna felt angry and sad, watching the two lovers raise their tone against each other.

"I was about to send you the ice statue any day now, I swear!" Trembled Elsa.

Her girlfriend squinted. They didn't have much ways of communication when Gale couldn't be there to deliver messages. The only idea they had come up with was for Elsa to send happy ice memories through the distance if she was okay, and sad ones if she wasn't. However, there was no way for Honeymaren to answer.

"Any _day_ now?"

Elsa winced at her terrible slip of the tongue.

"And that would have been a convenient situation for you, uh?" Accused the brunette, crossing her arms. "Because I couldn't have prevented you from doing it, due to the fact I can't give a message back."

Elsa clenched her jaw. She was running out of claims and clearly losing the argument, so she changed the topic.

"Well, you shouldn't have come! It's too dangerous in this weather!"

The Northuldra stared at her with overflowing sarcasm.

"What, like it's hard?"

"No, because I care about you!" Frowned Elsa, her cheeks red. "You should have stayed in the Forest!"

"And _you_ should have warned me that you came here to see Anna!" Exclaimed Honeymaren with a frown.

Elsa was about to reply, but she knew she was the one in the wrong. She looked down with shame, her voice quieter. "I didn't want you to know that the Spirits went mad."

The Northuldra puffed with offense. "You think I don't know how to tell that the Spirits are angry by looking at a storm?"

Elsa's hand passed along her other arm nervously. "Sorry, I... I just didn't want you to panic..."

"I AM panicking right now! Elsa, WHY didn't you talk about it?!"

The blonde slowly lifted her eyes at her girlfriend's scolding tone. Her azure blue eyes were glistening when she finally crossed her chestnut ones.

"I didn't want you to think I had gone mad too."

A silence passed in the room, Honeymaren clearly taken aback, and Anna was shocked too. Elsa's eyes immediately looked down again, and her fingers clenched.

She curled against herself. Shame and guilt fell on her shoulders just like raindrops were falling from Honeymaren's hair. Her lips trembled.

"I'm so sorry, Honey, I'm the worst, I keep having this mannerism after all those years and I shouldn't push you away like I did, I really am a idio—"

Elsa interrupted herself when something came close to her in a swift move and held her cheeks. She barely had the time to make a jerking head move upwards that Honeymaren pressed her lips against hers and kissed her deeply.

Although surprised by the sudden contact, the blonde realized how much she had missed it, how therapeutic and relieving and delightful and divine kissing Honeymaren was. Closing her eyes as well, she pressed her lips back intensely.

The Northuldra had the reflex to kiss Elsa before any dark or sad thought invaded her heart, filling it instead with intense love. It was efficient as always, The Snow Queen's mind now feeling dizzy by her affection.

Elsa had never missed kissing her so bad, all her stress from the passing days vanishing like snow in the sun. She had a relaxed eyebrows expression, and Honeymaren smiled in their long kiss.

Anna smirked at the scene before politely looking elsewhere as they continued to embrace. How long was that smooch? Did they even breathe?

They finally split up, gasping, and looked at each other at arm's length. Elsa's hands rested on Honeymaren's hips, and the latter went on the blonde's shoulders.

The Snow Queen was blushing, her gaze deeply lost in her lover's.

"Okay, I got it."

"Yep. No self-depreciation in my presence. In fact, no more self-depreciation."

Elsa smiled warmly.

Honeymaren passed the back of her fingers on her girlfriend's cheek with a sad smile, recognizing in her features how many times the blonde had doubted of herself and undervalued her competences since the last time they talked.

"It's alright, snømus. I know why you acted like that."

She passed a hand in Elsa's short hair, noticing its length when she inspected her face. Honeymaren could tell that the Snow Queen had put more ice than usual in them to prevent some to obstruct her vision. She smiled lovingly.

"I should cut your hair again. It will be getting in your eyes soon. When this is all over, I'm giving you a new cut session."

Elsa grinned, beaming.

"I love those sessions."

Honeymaren always relaxed her when she cut her hair, and she had been doing it every time since Elsa decided to have this style. The Northuldra always took the time to prepare a peaceful setting in the silence of their hut, with only the sound of the blade, Honeymaren breathing close to her and bathing her in her unique scent.

Anna cleared her throat to remind them of her presence, which made Elsa blush even harder, and Honeymaren chuckled.

"We should prepare lunch so Honeymaren can join us." Said Anna. "Elsa, would you mind telling the cooks that we'll be one more person?"

The Snow Queen blinked. "No, not at all. On my way."

She walked to the closest door.

Anna looked at her go for a moment, then grinned with amusement.

"The kitchens are the other way, Elsa."

"Yes. Yes absolutely."

The blonde walked in the other direction, and looked elsewhere as she passed in front of her sister and her girlfriend, visibly blushing.

The Queen shook her head once she turned at the angle of the corridor. "Gosh, she really loses all her brain cells when you're around."

Honeymaren giggled. "Well, we missed each other. We haven't seen each other for five days."

Anna twirled to her. "Five days? But she arrived two days ago."

The Northuldra smiled. "I know. She spent a lot of time trying to fix this storm by herself, and walked around the Forest searching for solutions with the help of the other Spirits. Even if it's Bruni's behavior which made me guess she had left our territory, I knew that she was heading to Arendelle, because some Giants were missing. It was obvious she would get worried for you and wanted to make sure you all were alright, and come in person to protect you in case it gets worse."

Anna's jaw dropped. She blinked back tears as Honeymaren nodded with a sad wince, and both slowly turned to where their loved one had left the room.

The Queen's eyes got lost, staring at nothing. She understood why Elsa had hidden the truth, and knew that her elder couldn't help this mannerism and that 13 years of trauma weren't going to be healed from in a snap of the fingers. She still had work to do about it more than 10 years after the Great Thaw.

In the corridor, something caught both their attentions: a child passed along an adult who seemed to bend to give her instructions, and the girl gasped when she recognized Honeymaren.

"AUNTIEMAREEEEEEN!"

She ran at full speed to the inside of the room, her tutor watching her go with a sigh. He took the mental note to repeat his last sentence the next time they had class, because the princess obviously will have forgotten.

The brunette cackled as the little ball of energy hugged her tight.

"Autiemaren?" She repeated.

"Sorry about that." Smiled Anna. "She came up with that term and doesn't want to drop it since."

"That's alright. I find it cute."

"Pick me! Pick me! Pick me!" Begged the girl, lifting her arms.

Honeymaren chuckled. Eydis being 8 years old, her parents now refused to lift her in their arms, using it as an opportunity to tell her she was a grown up now. Yet, what interested the princess wasn't to be held, but to see until which age her aunt would be able to pick her.

The Northuldra lifted a teasing eyebrow. Her biceps clenched under her beige tunic as she playfully grabbed her laughing niece from the floor, flicking her like she weighed nothing.

"You're barely the weight of a log!" Giggled Honeymaren. "But you're heavier than the last time I saw you! You grow up so fast, even in a month!"

Anna smiled tenderly at the scene.

* * *

"And I learned about trigonometry!" Exclaimed Eydis, finishing her summary as they were all eating around the table.

"That's amazing!" Smiled Honeymaren. "You're going to be so smart!"

The princess giggled, and then exclaimed:

"And so strong! I've become a super good carftsperson!"

"Craftsperson." Corrected Elsa with a smile, but her niece wasn't paying attention.

She had suddenly got off the table, and ran to her toolbox which was on a chair in a corner since the last time she played with it.

"And look! I have so many awesome stuffs."

Anna was touched by her enthusiasm, but her fish was served. She gently tugged on her daughter's arm.

"Eydis, not now. We're eating. Maybe later."

The princess pouted at her mother's sentence and put the box on the floor. She returned to her seat, and the Queen gave a sign to a maid that meant 'Discard this toolbox the minute she looks away.'

"I'll play with you later." Winked Honeymaren.

The girl beamed, and hungrily grabbed her fork.

Anna and Honeymaren, sitting on each side of Elsa, went into a discussion about the latest political decisions following the storm, and Kristoff, who was next to Eydis in front of Elsa, got into the 'Ain't ice wonderful?' topic like they did many times. They both always were very passionate about the subject, and now were entering in a debate on which month was best to harvest ice.

Kristoff, who had been serving Eydis, suddenly stared at the blonde.

"Elsa, are you okay?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Did I say something that hurt you?" Worried the King.

"What? No, what are you talking about?"

He pointed at her.

"Your glass is freezing."

Elsa looked down swiftly at his warning, and dropped her glass with a scared move. It shattered on the table along with the water it contained, now frozen, and the ice and glass fragments dispersed between the platters. Everyone stared at it then stared at her.

"Wha— I didn't..."

"Elsa, what's wrong?!" Panicked Anna.

"Do you feel alright?" Worried Honeymaren.

Both had put a hand on each of her shoulders, and she blinked in confusion.

"I'm fine, I swear. I don't know how that happened."

She waved her hand and the ice melted, vanishing in a thousand snowflakes that hovered up in the air.

"I'm sorry if I startled you." Said Elsa, staring at the shattered glass remaining on the table.

The Snow Queen then noticed that Honeymaren and Anna still had their hands on her shoulders.

"Maybe you shouldn't touch me. We never know..."

Anna shook her head, forcing her smile despite her worry. "Nonsense. We're never gonna get scared of you."

Honeymaren nodded.

She wanted to pass a hand along her back to assure her they would support her no matter what, but her fingers were stuck to her ice shoulder piece.

"Uh..."

It was the same for Anna, who wanted to resume eating, and they looked at each other.

"What?" Frowned Elsa, seeing that their attitude was weird.

She then looked at Anna's fingers. The redhead muttered.

"I think it's because your ice is... Very cold, for some reason."

"Elsa, calm down." Advised her girlfriend.

"I _am_ calm!" Jolted Elsa.

"That doesn't sound very calm." Murmured Kristoff.

"I heard that." Hissed Elsa. "I swear on Ahtohallan that I am not upset or anything. I..."

She then realized what feeling it was. And blushed a bit.

"I'm feeling really great, actually. I'm pumped up, and I haven't felt this fit in a while. I'm in very good shape."

The blonde even sounded excited, and Anna lifted an eyebrow. Elsa smiled, fascinated.

"It feels exactly like when I leave Ahtohallan. I always regain magical energy once I visit the glacier. But that can't be it... It's too far."

"That would however explain why you're so cold..." Said the redhead, still struggling to take her hand off her.

"I'm cold?" Gasped Elsa.

Then she realized that Anna and Honeymaren's breaths were becoming visible, creating clouds like they had just entered winter. Elsa immediately felt fear rising in her, but grabbed the emotion on the go and clenched her eyes shut. She barely had made one breathing in that she forced herself to calm down, breathing out slowly and steadily.

Her experience paid off. The ice of her shoulder pieces retrieved their normal cold and the air its regular temperature, and both women gasped lightly as they took their hands off. Elsa winced.

"I'm so so—"

"Elsa." Said the two at the same time.

Her blue eyes widened. Anna chuckled at their synchronization.

"It's nothing. Everything's back to normal." She assured.

Elsa pouted.

"Because I focused to calm down, but that still doesn't explain..."

"It's fine, snømus. Relax. We're not resentful at all." Guaranteed Honeymaren.

Elsa almost cried at the caring eyes of all her family staring at her. Even Eydis had a smile as she was eating her fish again. A servant bent over the table to pick the glass fragments, and the Snow Queen got impressed by how close to her he was standing. Nobody, in the entire room, was even scared about what has just happened. There was palpable confusion for sure, but now most of them were resuming to their occupations.

The maids served the next course, taking advantage of the glass clean-up and the move back to the kitchen to also grab Eydis' toolbox and bring it back to her bedroom.

"Well, that was weird..." Chuckled Honeymaren, genuinely finding it funny that they got stuck to her like bugs to resin.

"And new." Commented Anna, also smiling. "Since when can you do that?"

"I didn't do it on purpose, I told you." Replied Elsa nervously. "I guess that I crafted my armor colder than usual this morning. I didn't feel the difference. It's weird."

The Queen puffed.

"That's not weirder than having your dreams materialized in ice dust."

Honeymaren coughed on her wine. "Excuse me, what?"

"Ohhhh, yeah. We have to tell you that."

Anna then proceeded to explain all of what had happened in the night, helped with Eydis' descriptions which were adorable, and made sure to omit no detail.

Honeymaren was speechless by the end of her story, and Eydis was tempted to tap her chin up to make her close her dropped jaw.

"Holy Spirits, I'm so disappointed I didn't get to assist to that." Muttered the brunette.

Elsa watched her girlfriend above clenched fingers against her face.

"You don't... Find it crazy?"

The Northuldra laughed loudly. "Elsa, I've once seen you sneeze snowmen after I tickled your nose with a feather. I'm immunized from all craziness for my entire life."

The Snow Queen chuckled, and they exchanged a tender gaze. Anna couldn't help but note how perfect their match was. Her sister was lucky to have such a devoted and open-minded lover.

"You mean that it never happened before?" Inquired Kristoff.

Honeymaren snorted. "No. Not that I think of. And we've been sleeping together for a decade now. I think I'd have noticed it if it started to snow inside the hut at night. I mean, during her dreams."

In the silence that followed, Elsa blushed furiously. Nobody else seemed to note the innuendo, thankfully.

"Say, in the game in her dream, did I win?" Honeymaren asked to Eydis.

"Yeah, you did!" Grinned the girl. "And you two laughed a lot about it."

"That was definitely last week. Aw, you dreamt about it. You're really not good at that game." Smirked the brunette.

Elsa gasped. "That's because you _cheated!_ You hid behind a tree!"

"Since when hiding is against the rules?"

"Since..." Elsa grumbled. "Never mind."

"The good thing is that now, I know you didn't pretend to lose to make me win." Smiled her girlfriend, nudging her.

Elsa shook her head with a smile.

"Do you think that it's why she has this 'powers boost'?" Teased Kristoff. "To take revenge on you?"

"Ooooh, maybe." Joked the Northuldra.

Her face then suddenly got very serious.

"Or maybe it's the storm." She suggested, her tone thoughtful.

All stopped eating, even Elsa. She noticed.

"What? The Water and Wind Spirits are fighting, if your theory is correct. It would make sense if your powers suddenly increased. It's either due to the magic of the storm in the air, or to compensate their absence."

The blonde nodded.

"You're right... That could be it."

She put her cutlery down and looked at her hands, folding and unfolding her fingers like she always did when she was thinking about her magic.

"I do feel a change... But it's not something different in my powers, it's really more like they are like... Refreshed."

"That's definitely the word." Joked Kristoff.

They all laughed, and Elsa was more than glad to have them all surrounding her in this instant and in life, forgetting the oddness of the situation and now only paying in mind its good side: she was in perfect shape to face whatever danger her family would get in.

* * *

Sounds of steel against steel resonated through the ball room, also used as the throne room, but in the current moment turned into the training one. Benches had been disposed against the walls, and boxes of armory had been brought in. Some guards were free to enter to train, the Queen insisting that the storm made no exception for her weekly class.

"Why are you staring at me like that?" Puffed Anna, blowing a strand of her hair that had fallen to her face.

Elsa chuckled from the bench she was sit on. "I forgot how distracting it was to watch you sparring."

Anna grinned, taking her breath back, and a new soldier entered the zone, giving her a sign that they could start their combat training.

The redhead struck the first blows, and the Arendelle guard training against her with the same shield and sword had to duck and twirl faster than he expected. As his first practice fight against her, he was quite surprised.

"Wanna join?" Asked Anna, turning to her elder and sparring at the same time.

The soldier was a bit annoyed by her distraction. "Your Majesty, focus, please."

Anna lifted a sarcastic eyebrow, barely laid eyes on his posture, and strategically hit him right where he didn't expect it.

With a gasp, he bent over at the shock, and dropped his sword.

"Bold of you to think I can't do two things at a time." Stated the Queen, twirling her sword to celebrate her victory.

The other soldiers chuckled, standing on the side of the room. None of them was foolish enough to provoke her during their duels, but the man has just learned his lesson.

"No, thanks." Declined Elsa, smiling at the scene. "I'm not really the fighting type, you know that."

"Yes. But it's worth the try." Shrugged Anna as she drank water from the gourd disposed on another bench, and cleaned her face with a towel. "Since we were kids, you always have been more of a pacifist, and you're even more since you handle your powers perfectly."

She recited that second part like she had heard it a thousand times, and sounded the same way than her daughter reluctantly citing a lesson.

"Because being one with magic and nature now allow you to have alternatives in conflict." Said Kristoff on the same tone than his wife as he entered the room.

Elsa noticed their mockery and the smirks they had just exchanged. Did she say that this often?

"Are you two making fun of me?"

"No."

"Not at all."

The two lovers giggled, and Elsa eyerolled. In the move, she saw that Honeymaren had entered the room.

" _I_ volunteer to train against you." She smiled, enthusiastic.

"Honeymaren!" Exclaimed Anna, taking one more gulp of the gourd. "Sure! Step in! It's been a while since the last time we fought each other."

The Northuldra smirked. "Let's see if you improved your footwork, fire head."

Anna grinned and grabbed her sword and shield back, taking position at the center of the room. The soldiers and servants stared at her, their attention driven to the upcoming fight.

Honeymaren took her tunic and sweater off, fully exposing her biceps and her large shoulders with the simple shirt she had underneath. She tightened the belt of her pants and walked to the armory stock, passing by Elsa. As she did, a rare ray of sun passed between the stormy clouds and lit up her body, which suddenly made Elsa craving for the water in Anna's gourd.

"Let me see..." Muttered Honeymaren, inspecting every weapon available.

She eyed a heavy mace with a disgusted 'That's barbaric' expression. She slowly stared at every item, her hands hovering a ranseur and a dagger. Anna had picked a long sword, which was rather random, but the redhead could fight with pretty much anything. If she believed Kristoff's story, she once kicked a wolf with a lute. However, the long sword didn't inspire Honeymaren.

Elsa noted the hesitation of her girlfriend.

"There's nothing here that looks like Northuldra's wood staffs, Honey." She murmured.

The brunette nodded and turned to Anna.

"Sorry, but I'm not gonna use a lethal weapon. It's against what I stand for."

The redhead was disappointed for many reasons.

"Don't worry", assured Honeymaren with a raised hand. "It's not gonna be a disadvantage."

She bent to the big box and picked one of the shields in it. She recognized the same crocus motif on it than on the ones Mattias and his soldiers had for years in her home place, but this one was more sophisticated and obviously designed more recently, so it was perfect to hold back a long sword.

"I'm gonna choose this shiny baby."

"That's a shield." Pointed out Anna, sarcastic. "What are you going to do with your other hand?"

"Well, hold the shield." Smiled Honeymaren, joining her in the middle of the room. "You think I can't hit you with it?"

Anna smiled, and asked no further question.

"Jorge, you'll be arbitrating the fight." She ordered to one of the soldiers standing on the side, and he straitened at the given task.

He grabbed the whistle. "How long do you wish it to be?"

"The classic three minutes. That will be long enough for me to have more points than you." Smirked Anna, turning to her opponent.

Honeymaren mirrored her expression. "Oh, we're doing it by counting points? Spirits, you're the most competitive person I've ever met."

"Everything is a competition." Declared Anna with an evil smile. She did a swirl with her sword, taking her position.

Honeymaren weighed the Arendellian shield, also keeping in mind its dimensions and what she could do with it. She then nodded at the soldier, and he whistled. Everyone in the room went suddenly quiet.

They first turned around each other, like two predators analyzing the other's behavior, and Kristoff sat next to Elsa on the bench, both their gazes locked on them. Several seconds passed until one of them dared to make the first move, and it obviously was the most impatient of the two; Anna.

With a shout, she slammed her sword down, and Honeymaren protected herself with her shield easily, despite being surprised by her force and speed. She peeked down at Anna's foot to inspect it. Nevertheless, she didn't expect them to be perfectly placed.

"You got better at hiding your next attack." Complimented the Northuldra.

"Thank you. Now can you predict _that?_ "

Honeymaren's eyes widened, seeing Anna jump aside and duck to aim at her thigh from her blind spot due to the shield. The brunette had good reflexes, and stepped away to prevent it. The fight looked like it was rigged, for only Anna had a lethal weapon. However, Honeymaren had learned from the youngest age to never judge things by their appearance.

Indeed, Anna's hands both were occupied to hold those two different objects. On the opposite, Honeymaren had her left and right hands under the shield, which allowed a more powerful grip. What looked like a minus to an unwise eye actually was a strength if thought correctly. The Northuldra grinned and pushed Anna backwards with it and all her weight, and Anna couldn't hold the force back enough, so she started to lose her balance. Honeymaren then mimed to slam her face with the shield, and the Queen had the reflex to use her sword to counter her, so the brunette slid her shield in-between Anna's and the blade of her weapon. The younger froze in her move; if she finished it and lowered the sword, she would knock her face off with the lever effect and surely faint.

Anna puffed, breathing out, impressed by the clever move, her teal blue eyes staring at the close hazelnut ones.

"One point." Smirked Honeymaren.

"Not bad." Smiled Anna.

They both panted, rubbing their sweat a bit, and resumed the fight.

The two women kept fighting each other like that, Anna's moves slightly more violent than Honeymaren's, but she remained calm. All admired that she was able to not let her anger alter her strategy, because it now had been more than a minute that Honeymaren was leading the fight. Panting and grinning, they actually were enjoying inspecting the other's moves and combat style, noting how their opponent had improved while they were away.

Anna wasn't going to lose that easily, and had a quick thought as Honeymaren turned on herself to avoid being touched by another slash of her sword; the brunette had taken advantage of Anna having only one hand to hold her shield to use hers more cleverly. So maybe that she could use an advantage herself... And knowing the castle like the back of her hand was a really good one. Also, the Northuldra had brilliantly led her walk back to a bush of nettles the last time they fought in the Enchanted Forest, so Anna still had a revenge to take on her.

They may be fighting in the throne room for the first time ever, Anna had spent enough time in this room when she was bored as a girl and when she was partying in balls as a Queen to know that one of the paintings on the walls had a frame made of iron, which reflected the sun and often created a light that got in her eyes if she was sitting on the throne. The redhead quickly calculated the angle by two darting looks behind Honeymaren's shoulder, and before the latter could find it suspicious, she led her to the spot with a clever move of her shield, in fact pushing her. She then jumped around her, and Honeymaren winced as the light reflected into her left eye, grunting as she got blinded.

With a powerful yell, Anna blocked her elbow and held both her arms, then swiped her feet, and Honeymaren yelped as she fell backwards.

They stumbled to the floor together, Anna's sword at Honeymaren's throat, indicating she won a point. They started to stand up, but the soldier with the whistle announced the end of the session.

"Woo! Right on." Exhaled Honeymaren. "Okay, it ends in a draw. Well done, fire head. Until next time."

Anna smiled openly, filled with joy like always when she trained.

They held to each other, laughing together. The room filled with claps, and they smiled as they drank water.

Elsa looked at the scene with affection, and wondered if Honeymaren called her sister 'fire head' because Anna's untied hair was like a mane of lava around her, or because her whole face was as red as a beet.

* * *

Honeymaren and Elsa entered the guest room in which they always slept when they came to visit the Arendelle family during celebrations or when it was too late for them to come back to the Forest after a long party in game nights.

As Honeymaren untied her braid, Elsa dropped heavily on the bed on her back.

"Gosh, what a day."

Her girlfriend chuckled, passing a hand in her short white spiky hair once she sat next to her.

"Are you tired?"

Elsa had a thinking pout. "No, actually, I'm not exhausted at all."

"Hum. The power boost, uh?"

"I still need to investigate on this thing." Sighed Elsa. "I'm in great shape physically, but mentally, it's been _one of those days_."

Honeymaren placed herself over her, smirking.

"Is it because you saw the storm being nationwide from the Giants' shoulder, or because I came here to scold you?"

Elsa smirked too as her lover's hair caressed her face.

"Maybe both?"

They chuckled then kissed, several times, like they preciously numbered each of their touches.

Honeymaren detached her face from her delicately after a while, still laying over her girlfriend, her elbows on the sheets on each side of her chest.

She hovered her finger along her light shoulder pieces and plackart. Her eyes were filled with care.

"Hey... Maybe take that off?" She asked, her voice soft.

Elsa stared at her, blushing a bit. She smirked. "Are you serious? Right now?"

The brunette got her drift, and laughed. "I didn't mean _that_ , you idiot. I'll give you a massage."

The Snow Queen found the suggestion coming from nowhere, but realized in that instant how much she was craving for it.

"Yeah, you really need one. It's written all over your face." Smiled tenderly the Northuldra.

They now had been in couple enough years to have the best non-verbal communication, which was valuable for two quiet souls like them.

She sat on the bed, helping Elsa sit up as well with affectionate moves. The blonde sighed in content.

"I forgot how much I missed your touch." She murmured, her voice lulled.

"It's been five days, you drama queen. And I haven't even started massaging you yet."

"Hmmm." Answered Elsa, her head going in the nest of her neck.

"Don't fall asleep yet, snømus. Take those armor pieces off for me. You know only you can do it."

Elsa smiled and sat straight, waving her hands, and in a twirl of snow, only her white Fifth Spirit outfit remained on her skin.

The brunette poked at her belly, and Elsa jerked with a laugh.

"H-Honey!"

"Skin-like fabric check. Now go sit at the edge of the bed."

"Alright."

With smiles, they positioned like they always did when Elsa had a long day working around with the Spirits to protect the Forest, and came home in their hut with a sore back or an injured leg because she had, once again and on her own, saved merchants from something as insanely dangerous as bear attack.

The blonde sighed in profound relaxation when her girlfriend started massaging her back. The Northuldra however could feel how tense some of her muscles were, and insisted on them. She bent to whisper.

"Relax. It's all over. You've done an amazing job, okay? Release yourself from all that duty feeling."

Elsa hummed something that sounded negative, and Honeymaren kissed her through her short hair. She kept massaging her back as she inhaled her natural scent, and smiled in her platinum blonde hair as she recognized the familiar and soothing smell of licorice mint, which somehow never left the Snow Queen.

"I still feel bad for not finding a way to stop the storm..." Mumbled Elsa.

Honeymaren kissed her temple.

"Hey, Elsa... You're the most amazing person in the world, you know that?"

The blonde smiled. "By the numerous times you told me, I'm gonna end up believing it."

They laughed warmly, and Honeymaren moved her hands to her shoulders, touching strategic points in muscles that she knew were most used by someone being left-handed. Elsa moaned at the unique sensation only her girlfriend could provide. Honeymaren's gestures were precise and measured, both soft and strong, and it's exactly what she loved about their massage sessions.

Bathing in silence, they continued, only lit by the candles they had put on each nightstand, of which the wax was going down as time passed. Even the storm raging outside seemed inexistent because of how particular the bubble they had created was.

"A bit lower, please?" Asked Elsa when Honeymaren reached the lumber area.

The brunette chuckled, and bent to her face. "Keep it together. We're guests in a castle."

Elsa blushed intensely.

* * *

"Will you ever forgive me? For not telling you that I was risking my life investigating on this storm?"

Honeymaren blinked as she woke up at the familiar voice. It was Elsa's, but it seemed distant, like a far-away echo, that resonated in the insides of a cave layered with winter dew.

When the Northuldra's eyes focused and she realized that she was assisting to the magical materialization of Elsa's dream, she sat up in a jolting move and forgot to breath for a long time, gasping and admiring all the details. It was even more astonishing than what she had possibly pictured at the descriptions.

She hadn't been awakened by the falling snow, for she was used to sleep outside in the winter and her cheeks didn't feel pricked by the cold. Besides, Elsa's snowflakes never felt truly icy; just like her, they were perfectly soft, like she defied the laws of Nature herself and came up with warm snow. Honeymaren saw that the dream featured Elsa and herself talking to each other, and she smiled at how the blonde perceived her, seeing the way she was represented from her point of view. Now she knew why she had heard Elsa's voice; it was a discussion between them, which had ended by the time Honeymaren woke up, and they now were both smiling as they walked through a valley.

Lifting her hand, the Northuldra admired the way ice dust floated around to create landscapes coming right from her lover's imagination. It made Honeymaren's heart soar with love and admiration, and when she turned to her girlfriend, it melted at her sight.

Elsa was sleeping deeply, a small smile curling her lips. She was turned to her direction, both her hands on the pillow next to her, the fingers of one slightly twitching and folding like she was actually holding Honeymaren's hand in the projected dream. She looked absolutely beautiful, her unique hair and pale skin enhanced by the moon light. Honeymaren slithered closer, looking at her and listening to her breathing.

"Snømus... I already forgave you." She whispered tenderly, kissing Elsa's forehead.

The blonde moaned at the sensation, all the magic manifestation vanishing slowly around them. The particles of ice dust went away the same mysterious way they appeared, and Elsa slowly blinked as she returned to reality.

She had the same vision there, though; Honeymaren warmly smiling at her.

"Honey? What..."

Her voice was croaked from sleep, but the brunette didn't care at all. She kissed Elsa deeply, and after some confusion, the blonde gave it back.

She smirked once they finished kissing, staring at the two brown gems in the dark.

"Let me guess, I did that odd thing again?"

Her lover smiled. "Don't say it like that. It was the most amazing thing in the world. I love you, Elsa."

The Snow Queen's eyes glittered with happy tears.

"I love you too. So much."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahem, that was a longer chapter than I possibly planned with my drafts. The last time I wrote one that long was in Untangling the Frozen Knots!
> 
> I picked that title for this chapter for the meteorologic ref and because both Anna and Elsa are put under pressure because of their upcoming duties and how the events unfold. Also, Elsa gets scolded by Honeymaren - really hard moment for me to write, ouchie - and I feel like it's very ironic that the song 'Under pressure' (Queen) has a melody that was re-used in 'Ice ice baby' (Vanilla Ice). Yes I am that nerdy for details.
> 
> I'm sure you loved the flangst balance in this chapter, and I'm more than happy to serve in heart-clenching moments :P Now you can yell at me. Woops


	4. In the fog

Elsa woke up to the soothing feeling of an opened glazed window and the heavenly sight of her girlfriend laying against the frame. Honeymaren was looking at Arendelle's landscape from the guest room, enjoying a calm break in the stormy weather to admire the mountains without getting showered by the rain. She also enjoyed the view when she turned at the sound of Elsa stirring and stretching in the bed, her ice night gown sparkling in the morning light. The blonde's short hair was just as messy as her long black one. The eternal flyaway lock came in front of her eyes, and the Snow Queen blinked tiredly as she passed a hand in her hair and fixed her bangs with a layer of ice.

"Join me?" Proposed Honeymaren.

Elsa went out of bed with a smile, and walked to her before kissing her in the neck. She nested her chin on her shoulder, circling Honeymaren's waist with her arms.

"Hi you."

"Hi." Laughed the brunette, kissing her temple.

She pointed at the village below.

"Look, we can see the unity statue from here."

"Yeah, I like to look at it sometimes."

"I think it's a good symbol to take example from in this time of crisis, don't you think? Our people together to face the storm and find a solution to it."

The blonde smiled. "You're very poetic so early in the morning. I could go back to sleep with that voice of yours that you use when telling stories to Sami children."

Honeymaren giggled and rubbed Elsa's cheek.

"You know, we could have camped outside. You're used to going on hikes, and the weather isn't really a problem."

Elsa hummed on her shoulder. Her hot breath in Honeymaren's neck underlined how the last part of her remark was true.

"I prefer when we sleep in the guest room."

The brunette smirked and turned to her.

"Having a taste for luxury, ex-Queen?"

Elsa poked her lover's ribs at her sarcasm. "No, I just prefer to give you the best comfort."

Honeymaren rolled her eyes, but knew she was sincere.

"Do I need to remind you that we slept countless times in Ahtohallan? I can handle a glacier, and a magical one furthermore, so I can handle a little storm."

"This is _not_ a little storm." Warned Elsa, changing the topic unconsciously.

Her arms had even tightened a bit around Honeymaren's waist, and the latter patted her hands.

"It's okay. Relax. No pressure. No duties."

Elsa muttered something on her shoulder. Honeymaren knew her too well, sometimes it was unfair.

She then detached from her body to turn and look at her. "Honey, you said yesterday that I should relieve myself from tensions, but you should be the one to get rest. Yelena is going tough on you lately."

"I still have a lot of work to do. And she wants to pass me all her knowledge."

"And being the next tribe leader is a lot of responsibilities..."

"Which I _willingly_ engaged myself into." Insisted Honeymaren, her eyes determined.

Two big azure blue ones saw that expression, and Elsa grinned.

"You're going to be the best."

"I know." Chuckled Honeymaren.

She noticed how high the sun was in the sky already, despite the clouds hiding it. "Now come on, we're going to be laughingstock if we arrive at breakfast after Eydis."

They closed the glazed window behind them and changed. Before passing the door, Elsa looked at herself in the mirror near the wall, and Honeymaren tickled her from behind. The blonde lost her balance and laughed out loud, leaving an echo behind her as they went to the corridor.

The surface of the mirror covered up with frost from the spot where Elsa had hung on to.

* * *

Honeymaren was right when she mused about the Northuldra and Arendellians uniting to find a solution to the magic storm. Elsa and Anna got very busy with only that in mind.

Several days had passed. The sisters didn't talk much, which was paradoxical for a period in which they actually were very supportive of each other. They had different duties on different places of the castle. Elsa was searching for spots all around the Arendelle village and surroundings where she could meditate and try to sense Nokk's or Gale's energy to understand their behavior, while Anna was sending messengers to neighboring kingdoms all around the country to check their administrative decisions and be updated to offer her help. At each meal, they exchanged on the other's progress, then returned to their activities.

Kristoff admired their work, seeing how they had been doing their best for the past days. However, he saw them less lately, and at a time when he had no duty and his daughter was busy in a math lesson, he went to visit Sven in the stables. He didn't expect to meet Honeymaren there.

"Hey, how are you? What are you doing here?"

He noticed that she was feeding some hay to a reindeer, and that the reindeer in question was obviously Sven.

"Oh, you're..."

"How's Sven?" Asked the Northuldra.

He gulped. "Why ask that?"

The brunette looked at him with comprehension. "There's only the two of us here, Kristoff. You can drop the lies."

The King rubbed the back of his head awkwardly.

"Not... Fine."

They both turned to the reindeer, who was sleeping quietly. Only...

"He was sleeping when you arrived?" Asked the blond.

Honeymaren nodded. "Yes, and I've come here early this morning when I saw something was wrong."

So she knew. Who was giving it away? Sven or him?

"Kristoff..."

She put the pitchfork back against the wall and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"...Reindeers rarely live beyond 20 years."

"Yes, I know. Elsa told me on her last visit. We spent a long time talking about it. She knows all about wildlife, now, uh?" He smiled.

"She does." Smiled Honeymaren. "I've never met someone as curious as her. And I have Ryder as a brother!"

They both laughed. Kristoff cleared his throat.

"Is is true that you have a... Ceremony for..." He gulped again. "Deceased reindeers?"

"Yes. We do. First because in Northuldra culture, we consider that each living life is important, but also because a lot of us have been close to a particular reindeer helping them in daily tasks for years or on which they like to ride. We know what you feel."

There was a blank. She let that sink, and continued.

"When the moment will come, we'll give Sven the ceremony he deserves."

"It... It would be an honor if Ryder and you..."

"Sure."

He heavily sighed and sat on a stack of hay. Honeymaren joined him.

"I've known him all my life. He's not just a buddy, he's like... My best friend."

"Like a brother." Smiled Honeymaren.

Kristoff appreciated her precision. "Yes."

"How about you talk about it to Ryder on the next time you come visit us in the Forest? I'm afraid it will feel weird if you bring the topic during game night."

"Yeah, good call."

They laughed.

A few moments later, Honeymaren explained that now she was sure that everyone in her Arendelle family was alright, starting from Elsa and including Sven, it was time for her to go back to the Forest.

Elsa also insisted that she had duties to attend as well as the next tribe leader, and when her reindeer was ready to do the way back, they all assembled at the castle's entrance. Anna took advantage of Elsa and Kristoff talking to have a private talk with Honeymaren.

"I'm sorry again that Elsa shut you out and didn't tell you she came here."

The Northuldra chuckled. "Don't apologize for her. She apologized herself in her own way."

"Okay. You know, she uses this mechanism... Pushing people away... To actually protect them. It looks like she wants to be alone and reject people who can help her, but in fact..."

"...It's the opposite. She's craving for care." Finished Honeymaren.

Anna smiled. "You know her just as much as I do now. I'm so happy that being in couple helps in confessions."

The redhead's eyes stung with emotion. "Honeymaren, I'm deeply glad that you're her girlfriend and such a caring person and always here for her. You're the person she always needed, unconsciously."

"Oh, she's very conscious of that need, let me tell you." Winked Honeymaren.

The redhead's jaw dropped with shock at the innuendo, and they both laughed.

Anna retrieved her breath. "Anyway, her happiness is what counts most for all of us."

She put a hand on the Northuldra's shoulder. "She's always been happy since the day we stepped into the Forest and she met you. She's finally living the life she deserved."

"I fully agree." Grinned Honeymaren.

They hugged, and the others approached. Anna gave her enough chocolates to feed the whole tribe, and Elsa a kiss big enough to steal her oxygen. With an amused gasp and a pat on the blonde's shoulder, the Northuldra stepped back and climbed on her reindeer.

Elsa looked fondly at her girlfriend.

"Take care."

"No, _you_ take care." Smiled Honeymaren.

Her loving gaze then became serious.

"Who knows what the Spirits might be up to."

Elsa nodded. She also rarely added a word after Honeymaren's brief wise sentences.

As if to give her courage, the reindeer licked the Snow Queen's face, and she chuckled and wiped her cheek.

"Yeah, I was happy to see you too, Vibeke."

She stroked the reindeer, nervously passing a hand along the Northuldra motives on the harness.

"Keep an eye on the tribe while I'm still busy here, okay? And tell Yelena I'm alright."

"I will", promised Honeymaren, finding her bashfulness cute as always.

"I was talking to the reindeer."

"Oh."

Honeymaren then lifted an eyebrow.

"...Wait, you're teasing me, right?"

"Of course I was talking to you, silly!" Laughed Elsa.

"You're such a dork." Sighed Honeymaren, shaking her head.

"11 years and you still fall for those tricks."

"Well, you _do_ talk to animals all the time. So excuse me."

Elsa swatted her leg, and Honeymaren laughed before tapping her ankles on the reindeer belly to make it gallop.

"See you later, snømus!" Exclaimed the Northuldra, her voice echoing in the Arendelle's castle courtyard.

"See you later, Honey." Smiled Elsa as she looked at her lover go.

* * *

Honeymaren had left thinking Elsa was alright; however, she wasn't. She had been meditating for days - sometimes even in crazy places that drove the others nuts when Anna and Kristoff learned about them, such as the rooftops or on an ice island in the middle of the fjord - and she still couldn't grasp Nokk's or Gale's energy.

She could sense they were there, somewhere in the sky, yet nothing precise. Not only did that made her sad and worried, but she couldn't help feeling like a fraud. Sensing the other Spirits and preventing them from putting people in danger was literally her job, and she was failing miserably at it. Every time she told Anna that her new meditation session had been in vain, her optimistic sister replied that everything would end well eventually. Nevertheless, Elsa had more of a pessimistic personality, and the first day after Honeymaren was gone, she started to tell herself that she wasn't worth of Ahtohallan's blessing.

What if she could never get why the Spirits were doing such a thing? What if she could never bring them back in the Enchanted Forest? What if the storm kept going eternally for generations and generations? Elsa shivered from this idea, and twitched on the top of the clock tower where she had been sitting in lotus position.

She sighed and opened her eyes, looking at the dark horizon. The sun wasn't even setting yet and the sky was already gloomy, sometimes pouring with rain and sometimes bringing a blowing wind in the village. Sometimes both. At the moment, it was the first option, which was why Elsa had picked the clock tower, for it had a roof under which she could shelter. It also was the only remaining place in Arendelle that was high enough to stare at the horizon and could maybe help her sense the Spirits better, yet it changed nothing. She looked at the castle in the distance through the curtain of rain, and sighed again before standing up.

"There's no point. I should go home."

As she went down the stairs of the tower, she realized that maybe she should just stay in Arendelle and never dare to return to the Forest. Maybe that her home wasn't there, after all. Did she even deserve to come back to the woods alone, empty-handed, with no improvement?

She made her way through the village, not even walking fast, letting her thoughts and shame go down on her like the rain.

After entering the castle, Elsa went to Anna's study and was about to knock on the door, but it was, as usual, slightly open.

The redhead however seemed to be deep into work, and she heard Elsa's presence only when the Snow Queen's wet ice sandals tapped against the wood floor.

"Oh, Elsa!" Exclaimed Anna, smiling as she saw her elder after jerking her head up.

"Uhm... Can we talk?"

"That's great, I actually have something to tell you too."

"Can I go first?" Asked Elsa, clenching her hands.

Anna was a bit disappointed to not start with her news, but encouraged her, putting her pen back in her ink pot.

"Yeah, do say."

"I still got nothing."

"Uh?"

"I meditated, again, and again, and tried to sense their feelings, but... It's all blur. It's like they're really, really far, but at the same time I can tell that they're just above us. It's really weird, and I hate that I'm not able to understand why."

"It's okay." Smiled her younger. "Surely you felt a thing or two?"

Elsa shrugged, disappointed with herself. "Maybe. I felt urge, dread, anger, and they're both giving all their magical energy in what seems like a swirl, a mix of water and wind. I know this sounds stupid, because it's basically a storm. I could also feel that they're reckless."

Anna stared at her. She wanted to ask: 'Those are emotions you also felt from them days ago, has nothing changed?' but remained mute.

Elsa kept going. "I have nothing else to say. All I sense, coming from them, is danger. So, in summary, as long as I don't know what's going on, my best advice is to stay indoors and not do anything."

A long silence passed. Anna cleared her throat.

"Well... The thing I wanted to talk to you about is..."

She bit her lip.

"I'm leaving tomorrow."

"What...?" Muttered Elsa.

"A messenger from Hitiheimr came in this afternoon to tell me that the decision had been made official, all leaders are awaited there to discuss—"

"Did you listen to anything of what I just said?" Cut Elsa.

Anna closed her mouth, and realized that ironically, on the other hand, Elsa hadn't been listening to her sentence. She frowned.

"I _did_ , but this is of the most importance..."

"I'm telling you to stay inside and you're telling me that you're going out tomorrow?"

"This is important." Insisted Anna.

She showed a paper that was on her desk. "All kingdoms of the country have decided on common agreement to gather in the eastern lands of Hitiheimr to have a national meeting and take decisions about this storm."

"I just told you my decision!"

"No, not _yours_." Tried to clarify Anna without sounding blunt. "This is about royal decisions. What the kingdoms have to do to face the problem."

"This is just dumb."

The redhead blinked and frowned. " _Excuse me?"_

"This is ridiculously risky!"

"And it's just as ridiculous to stay inside and do _nothing!_ " Jolted Anna.

"Actually, I'd prefer that you don't do anything!" Threw Elsa, blushing in irritation.

"What?! Oh, come on, you're just angry because you've been nervous those last days. Look at you! You're the only person in the world who gets upset after meditating."

"Because the _world_ needs me right now. And I don't have solutions."

"And that's because you can't find any that you're offended, I get it! But don't you think that the world needs _me_ , as well? Are you saying that I can't help too? That _I_ can't bring solutions?"

"No, Anna, you're confused."

" _I'm_ the one who's confused?!"

"Don't raise your voice at me." Warned Elsa.

"No, look, I have all the rights to raise my voice at you. I've been just as distressed as you those past days to find a solution to move on in this magic storm and when I finally make things go forward, this is how you support me? Look, I have to—"

"There's no way you're leaving."

"No, I have to, Elsa, it's my du—"

"This is too dangerous."

Anna gritted her teeth at her interruptions, which were driving her mad.

"I _have_ to go because—"

"Why didn't you even tell me a messenger had come this afternoon?" Frowned the blonde.

Anna exploded.

"You were out meditating, Elsa!! Why was I supposed to do?! Find you?? Apparently I couldn't, for I see that you don't want me to step outside!!"

"You know I meant that because I care about you." Grunted Elsa, not liking her tone.

"Because you're afraid I would what, fly away in the storm? No need to smother me, Elsa. I can take care of myself."

She saw that her sister was about to open her mouth, so she kept going.

"Also, your point doesn't stand. We went to investigate about the storm a few days ago, and you seemed fine about it!"

"Because like you say, it was days ago!" Exclaimed Elsa, now making big gestures of the arms and hands like her sister was doing on the other side of the desk. "Also, I was there to protect you just in case something goes wrong."

"Nothing will go wrong. The land is barely one day of travel from here."

"But—"

Anna was frowning now and she suddenly slammed both her hands on the desk. "That's enough, Elsa! If you prevent me from going, I swear to Odin that I'll give an order to the guards to stop you."

"You have no right to—"

"I _definitely_ do!" Yelled Anna. "I'm the QUEEN!"

Now her fist was banging the table. "Which is exactly why I'm going to attend this meeting, DO YOU UNDERSTAND?"

"FINE!"

Elsa's yell echoed against the walls and she left the study in a fury, nearly bumping into her niece who was about to enter in the room.

Anna slumped into her chair, sighing and massaging the top of her nose.

The little girl blinked at Elsa's exit, confused, but focused back on why she was coming.

"Mama..."

"Not now, Eydis, please."

"It won't be long, I promise." Said the princess, as it wasn't the first time that she interrupted her mother doing royal activities.

The redhead sighed lengthily.

"Go on."

"It's about a book."

Anna took a long breath in, trying to remain calm and not show anger or sadness to her daughter. She gave her a warm smile.

"Sorry, Eydis, I can't tell you a story right now. I'm busy, you see?"

"It's not for a story! Can you give me the one on runes again?"

Anna frowned and looked at her between two fingers of her hand. "Again? Fine, I'll get it for you, it's in the library. But I told you already, the runes on grandfather and grandmother's headstones stand for—"

"I know, I know." Grumbled the little girl with a typical childish annoyed tone. "It's not for that. I want to learn new ones."

Anna was too tired to ask why she needed it, and rubbed her temple. "Alright, I'll get it for you once I finish my work."

Eydis stepped further, and then around her desk, observing her mother. "Are you hurt at the head?"

"No. Maybe... Sort of." Exhaled Anna.

The girl jumped to sit on her mother's lap, and the latter huffed of surprise, but then smiled as the girl idly played with the stamp left on her pile of letters. A silence passed.

"Mama... Why are you working at this time?"

Anna looked at her desk above her daughter's head.

"I have to go in a neighbor land tomorrow to have a national meeting with other kingdoms, sweetheart. I need to make sure everything is set before I do."

"Oh, Queen stuff is so boring."

"Not always." Assured Anna with a chuckle.

She bent to blow a raspberry on Eydis' cheek, and the girl cackled with laughter.

Silence followed as the princess silently turned the stamp in her hand. Anna's pen scratched a paper calmly, and her daughter looked at the door.

"Where did Auntie go?"

The Queen winced.

"I don't know, Eydis. Sometimes it's best that way."

"Why did she leave then?" Asked the child.

"Well, you see, I told her exactly what I told you about the meeting. And... She doesn't really like that news."

"Why?" Frowned the princess.

Anna smiled. "People react differently to the same things. For example, Auntie Elsa cares about me more than anyone in the world, and she needs time."

* * *

On the first days of the storm, Elsa thought that Anna would enrage to not be able to go outside because of the weather, yet she didn't; the redhead had matured through the years since she became Queen and a mother. She now enjoyed taking care of administrative things and staying indoors.

However, in the day that followed, Elsa had never wanted more for Anna to stay within the walls of the castle.

As Anna was preparing the harness of her horse with the help of a groom, Elsa kept pacing left and right in the corridor in front of the box.

The horse followed her moves with curiosity, wondering why the woman was walking like that and clenching her hands.

"Do you really have to go today?" Asked Elsa.

Anna inhaled discretely to conjure the needed patience as her sister had asked this question way too many times in the past hours.

"Yes, I have to go today. I'm expected."

"At least go on Sven!"

"No, he's getting too old." Reminded Anna, still not looking at her.

Elsa wasn't really looking at her either anyway, staring down as she kept turning and turning.

"Are you still thinking about pros and cons?" Guessed Anna when she saw her mood. "You seem to feel guilty about something."

The blonde sighed.

"I'm sorry for the dispute we had yesterday. I guess I was envious to see that you succeeded in your objective, your task, your duty... While I've done nothing."

Anna turned to Elsa with wisdom. "Which is why I have to attend this council. This is the part I play in, you understand that I have to do it."

The blonde passed her hands in her hair. Why was her sister always right?

"I know it's the safety part that worries you." Stated Anna as she stroked the horse's neck. "Remember, Mattias will be with me. Do you doubt of his dedication?"

"Of course not!" Exclaimed her elder.

Destiny had proven many times to Elsa that Mattias would do anything for his country, especially for Anna whom he had seen in the most dreadful situations and admired to no end, willing to give his life to make her safe.

"It's not that." Muttered Elsa. "I'm scared of this storm because it's magical, and... It's not something I can stop, or handle, or even predict. You've seen how it got worse every passing day."

" _Another_ reason why I must leave now. The faster the council happens, the faster I'll come back."

Elsa was about to reply, but Anna really had the best arguments. Was it because she knew Elsa by heart now and figured that reason and logic worked well on her, or was it thanks to her experience in diplomatic missions? Surely both.

"Then be your best self."

"I will." Winked Anna, making the horse brush twirl in the air.

"If anything would happen..."

Elsa gulped, looking down.

"Anna, if I lost you, I think I'd lose myself."

The redhead's eyes widened.

As the groom gave directions to the horse to walk out of the box, Elsa stepped aside to let them pass, and she went near the wall, staying in the shadows.

When she lifted her eyes, Anna was launching herself to her for a big hug.

Kristoff stepped in the stables to join his wife and sister-in-law, who were giving each other the longest hug he had seen in a while. Giving them a moment alone, he saluted Mattias with a nod as he walked by him with his horse, also ready to leave.

When the sisters finally split up, Elsa fidgeted with the cords of Anna's coat. She distractedly passed a hand along the reindeer fur.

She remembered the year when she had offered this coat to Anna on Yule celebration. All the family was united that day, and the redhead had managed to hug Honeymaren and her at the same time in a tearful embrace, to thank them for such a gift. The whole coat was tailor made and customized based on Anna's favorite colors and motifs, and the couple had entirely hand stitched it. The Snow Queen passed a distracted finger on the green seam, then realized that she was losing herself in a daydream. She cleared her throat.

"You, uhm... You shouldn't wear your coat this tight. Riding will make you warm from the effort, and after a while, you'll feel cramped."

Anna smiled tenderly. "Okay. Thanks for the advice, Northuldra."

She loosened the cords a bit, and went to her mount to tie one last bag she had left on a bale of straw. The blonde stood still where she was in the stable's corridor, like she incited her sister to stay here.

"Do you really have to go?" Asked timidly Elsa in one last try.

In that moment, a flash came to her mind, and she realized that she had asked this sentence the exact same way to her parents as the last thing before they were gone... Forever. Instinctively and defensively, she mentally threw that fact at the back of her brain.

Anna sighed slightly and stopped attaching her bag to her horse. She gestured to Mattias to take care of it before she turned around and walked back to her elder, and the general nodded with a comprehensive smile.

Anna's eyes were two determined teal blue gems as she made her way to her sister, her gaze right into hers.

"Elsa, for the last time: it's my duty. As the leader of a kingdom."

"Queendom", corrected Kristoff with humor. "I technically do less than you."

Anna chuckled. She turned back to Elsa.

"As the Queen of Arendelle, I have to go check on neighboring lands to ensure that everything is fine for everyone. This is not only geopolitics, it's also humanitarian. There's no way I'm staying here and don't act to help."

Her voice was strong, clearly ordering Elsa to stop trying. She had a remarkable royal tone. In any other context, Elsa would have been filled with pride for her younger, yet since the day before, all of her soul was roaming with fear. She was so worried for Anna that she couldn't tell if it was a bad feeling or paranoia.

The blonde searched for help in the King's eyes, but Kristoff seemed way more confident about Anna's life than Elsa was, and it made her even more nervous. Was nobody going to be on her side? Why was no one preventing her from leaving?

Elsa could picture all the worst happening to her little sister, and she bit her lip.

"But what if something goes wrong? We can't communicate via Gale, and postal services have stopped with the storm..."

"I'll be alright." Insisted Anna.

The Snow Queen wasn't convinced, shyly looking down. It somehow reminded Anna of her own daughter when she received an instruction she didn't like and yet knew she had to respect. Why did Elsa look like a child sometimes? The redhead smirked internally.

"Hey."

Her elder only muttered a 'hmm' as an answer, not lifting her face. Anna bent her head to catch her gaze. She knew Elsa's coping mannerisms more than anyone.

"You know I'll be fine. It's a few days trip, with a path that is way less dangerous than the one leading to the Enchanted Forest."

"But—"

"Let me finish. I'm expected tomorrow at noon when the council starts. If we don't attend, they'll know. It's more than safe."

The blonde hated how perfect those points were. She now pouted, knowing she couldn't add anything else. Anna saw it but hid her amusement.

She remained serious and breathed in and out with a sad smile.

"Elsa. You have to let me go."

The blonde's eyes stared elsewhere to hide her emotion, and she eventually blinked her tears away. After a while, she sighed and assembled enough courage to look at her sister with a determined look.

"Okay. I'll give you space."

The redhead smiled warmly. She put her hands on Elsa's shoulders.

"The sun, the moon and the sky, yes, I know."

Elsa stared at her with a smile slowly stretching her lips, stunned by her sentence.

"You remember?"

"Of course I do." Chuckled Anna. "I'll never forget my very first birthday with you after the Great Thaw."

The blonde had done everything she could to chase her tears until now, and immediately they were replaced by other emotional ones. Anna noticed, and her hands switched from her shoulders to her cheeks.

"Hey, hey, no more tears, okay? I shouldn't have brought that up." She laughed nervously. "It's time for me to go, or I'll be late."

She gave a sign to Mattias, who was holding both their horses, and when she joined him, Elsa could only follow without a word.

Kristoff came close to his wife.

"I'll take care of Arendelle with all my heart while you're gone."

"Just like I know you will, honey." Smiled Anna brightly, and they kissed.

She then put her feet in the stirrup and climbed on her horse's back. Mattias did the same, smiling at the reactions of her family.

Anna made her horse walk to the doors, and she turned one last time.

"I'll be back before you guys even notice I'm gone."

Elsa winced.

"I doubt a lot of that."

Anna gave her a positive smile and winked. With the clear light passing between the clouds behind her as she was high on her horse by the doors, she seemed to have an aura. Elsa missed a heartbeat.

"I love you." Mouthed Anna.

She then dashed her mount forward, closely followed by Mattias with the same speed. Kristoff waved at them as they rushed to the horizon, and Elsa stared at their figures shrinking in the distance.

"I love you too." Muttered Elsa.

Her heart was in pain watching her leave, now disappearing from her sight. First Honeymaren, now Anna... The Snow Queen brought her hand to her chest, tightening it against her heart, and closed her eyes.

She clenched her eyelids and bit her lips as one prayer in her mind begged Ahtohallan to keep an eye on the two most precious people in her life, and to make sure that nothing bad would happen to them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this chapter had been quite heartbreaking for me to write! Separations are always tough. The plot it starting to thicken...
> 
> btw Hitiheimr is a portmanteau word that means 'flame' + 'land'. Just because. I needed a name for an Eastern Norse kingdom and that was epic enough lol
> 
> I hope you like this fanfic so far! Don't punch me too hard from the flangst woops - See you next chapter!


	5. Precipitation

Several days later, they didn't get any news from Anna, and it drove Elsa nervous to no end.

When Eydis was walking by her in the castle, she smiled and waved at her, but the Snow Queen was lost in her daydreams.

One afternoon, Kristoff found Elsa in a bedroom, looking at the rain through the window. He was right when he knew where to head to; the blonde always had a tendency towards quiet rooms with windows for introspection.

"Are you upset?"

Elsa saw him enter in his reflection on the glass, so she didn't startle at his presence.

"Why do you ask?" She muttered.

"You're snowing. I mean... It's snowing. Around your head."

Elsa gasped and waved her hand at the thankfully light snow that had fallen on the carpet. It melted right away, and Kristoff stared at her.

"You're overthinking or upset about something."

The blonde looked down and didn't answer anything else than a sigh, not feeling in the mood to share. He tried humor to light up the moment.

"Funny how it's easy to tell the difference between those snowflakes and the ones you make for Bruni. If he were there, I'm sure he would find their taste different."

Elsa chuckled at last. The little guy obviously would. Those snowflakes were created with an opposite mood; instead of given to him as a treat gift, they were falling unintentionally and due to sadness.

"Do you wanna talk?" Suggested the King, coming near her.

"...Maybe." Finally said Elsa.

"About the Spirits being in conflict or Anna going abroad?"

He could hear Elsa gulp.

"Both?"

The blond put a loving hand on her shoulder. She was still cold, but he didn't care.

"I can't tell you much advice about the Spirits. All I can tell, from my raised-by-trolls point of view, is that magic can be very confusing. And sometimes, you might think something is the way it is, and it actually isn't at all. Mom- Hum, Bulda... She reads emotions in color crystals and can sometimes tell future by the way northern lights move, but she once told me that it's sometimes unreliable."

He smiled, happy to support her, then he realized at how his revelation wasn't really reassuring, and he winced when he saw the side look Elsa gave him.

"Uh... I mean..."

He sighed, dropping his head. "Never mind. I'm not that good at helping magic people."

She had a smile at the corner of her lips. "Quite the opposite, Kristoff. I know you care, and it already lifted my mood a bit."

The blond smiled too. Elsa looked through the window again.

"I know that, even if I still can't tell what is going on with Gale and Nokk, I can still count on your encouragement."

"Anytime."

He then realized that she had included Anna in that 'you'. The King scratched his beard before daring to approach the other topic.

"Truth will come in time, I'm certain of it. Anna will do her part, and you will, and everything will fall into place."

Elsa's hand dramatically passed on the glass of the window. "I miss her already. I know you're here, it's not what I mean... And there's Eydis too... But..."

"Nothing's quite like Anna", understood Kristoff.

"Yes." Sighed Elsa, like it was a weight on her heart, even though everyone in her family knew that she had a special complicity with her younger sister. "And I can't help worrying for her, even if I know she's the strongest person in the world..."

"She'll be fine. You know she'll be fine, right? You're the person who has the most faith in her after me."

Elsa's eyes stopped watching the hills in the distance and she smiled to him again.

"Yes, I know. She could hold the entire world with her dedication." She stated, looking proud.

Her expression vanished a bit.

"She's a thousand times more qualified than me to be Queen."

Kristoff wanted to say she was wrong to reassure her, but it actually was an undeniable fact. Arendelle historians had repetitively told him that Anna already had more efficient decisions and better leadership than any of her predecessors on the throne.

A silence passed, and he noted that Elsa was staring at the hills of the East, the direction in which Anna had been heading. He turned to his sister-in-law with a soft expression.

"You know that despite the lack of news, she's going to come back home, right?"

"Yes, Kristoff, I _know_." Repeated Elsa once again, a bit upset at how he insisted on facts to take her out of her anxiety.

He noticed. "Sorry, I didn't mean to be rude..."

"I'm aware that I'm overreacting and stressed at nothing. But I can't help it."

She sighed.

"Despite our years of separation in the castle when we were young, I always knew where she was. She was safe in the castle, and her safety was literally the only thing that mattered to me. And for the past 11 years, Gale could tell me if something was wrong anytime and almost instantly. They could even get to me in Ahtohallan or the furthest point in the Forest. Without Gale, I couldn't have known about that time you guys fell into a ravine, remember?"

Kristoff winced at the 2 years old memory. That family picnic had turned sour. "We still owe you one for that moment. Without your ice, the wagon explosion would have wiped us all. And I can't blame Olaf, he wasn't even there."

His humor didn't distract the Snow Queen. Her azure blue eyes were lost in the horizon.

"This is the first time in years that I don't know if Anna is safe or not. And it's nerve-wracking."

"Then forget her."

Elsa turned to him exaggeratedly. "Excuse me?"

The King was about to apologize and change his formulation, though he closed his mouth and stared at her.

"You seem taken aback by her absence. You kind of doubted that a national meeting would take place after she saw the stage of the storm, no?"

"Yes, but I thought that it would happen here, in Arendelle..." Murmured the blonde.

"Oooooh, that's why you're upset. You wanted her to stay here."

Elsa then sighed and buried her head in her hands, groaning.

"I'm such a selfish jerk..."

"No, you're not. Though, I have to admit, that supposition you made in your head was a bit mean for neighbor kingdoms' leaders who you had no guilt to imagine going through the storm until here..." Winced Kristoff. "But I swear you're not selfish, Elsa. You're sincerely one of the most altruistic persons I ever met. And I married someone who keep sacrificing her life for what's good."

A silence followed, and Elsa cried at the thought of Anna's dedication.

"I don't deserve to be her sister..."

She started to sob, and Kristoff hurried to put his hand on her back, slightly rubbing it.

"Hey, hey, don't you dare. She's nothing without you."

He then scoffed at how that sounded. "I mean... Well, you know."

The Snow Queen didn't move. The blond bent his head to find Elsa's gaze and make her look at him, a technique Anna had told him about for when she would have a breakdown. "Elsa."

"What?" She muttered with a sniff.

"You two complete each other no matter the distance. As strong sisters with an unbreakable bond, but also as the Bridge."

Elsa took a moment to let that sink in. "I know."

The King smiled, and he looked through the window along her.

Someone softly knocked at the door.

"Your Majesty... Lady Elsa..." Said Gerda's gentle voice, and they turned around. "I didn't mean to interrupt. Don't mind me, I'm just going to pick up Elsa's empty plate..." She then paused. "But I see that you actually haven't touched it."

Kristoff looked at the meal left on a coffee table by the door.

"Yes... I'm not very hungry." Murmured Elsa.

She had turned back to the window swiftly, and both Kristoff and the maid couldn't tell if it was because she had suddenly seen something in the horizon, or to hide her tears.

Elsa felt guilty for the silence that followed. She turned around again.

"Sorry for refusing those waffles, Gerda. They smell really nice, and it must have taken you a long time to bake them."

"Oh, it's not lost. Far from it. I know a little princess who'll get very hungry after her afternoon lesson."

Elsa smiled at her kindness. "She definitely inherited from her mother's gluttony."

Kristoff giggled in approval.

"I wonder if the languages teacher will quit after teaching both Anna and Eydis." Wondered Gerda. "When I passed by the living room's door an hour ago after making the beds, I heard her ask him to translate 'anvil' in every language he knew."

The Snow Queen burst of laughter, which wasn't very regal, but the servant and the King didn't mind at all; first because Elsa technically didn't have to mind about royal mannerisms anymore, and second because they had missed Elsa's laughter within those walls.

"Her passion for handiwork is _not_ a thing she inherited from Anna, though." Laughed the blonde.

They all chuckled, and Kristoff was delighted to see happiness back on her features.

"Alright then. I'm going to give the waffles to Eydis." Confirmed the maid, and she left the room, closing the door behind her.

Elsa looked at the door with the ghost of her smile still on her lips, and as the rain was getting stronger and stronger outside, Kristoff invited her to go near the fireplace with a gentle hand gesture.

They stood here for a moment, looking at the orange flames, and Elsa missed Bruni's pink ones. She wondered if the tiny Fire Spirit could help her decipher the others' behavior. But she chased that idea of her mind; the Northuldra needed him now, there was no way she would summon him in Arendelle. The Sami tribe needed his magic heat in that storm, and Bruni also was an excellent watchman. Or watchlizard.

Elsa's thoughts drifted to Honeymaren. She hoped that she was alright and took care of her people like she always did.

Kristoff looked at the clock of the room to check time. He then noticed that the blonde's eyes were glistening. However, was it because of emotion or due to staring directly at the fire? He laid against the fireplace's mantel to be aligned with her.

"Are you feeling better?"

"I do, yes. Thank you for your help."

The King frowned and squinted. He knew Elsa enough years to tell when she had something on her mind. Her voice was different.

"Elsa, are you sure that it's all good now?"

"Yes."

She purposely wasn't looking up at him, still staring at the fire, the brightness of it reflecting in her eyes.

"I have to go find Kai, so we do an overview of the afternoon. Just don't do anything unwise and stay safe, okay?"

"Okay, I will."

He hugged her, then exited the room.

Elsa's gaze got lost in the flames, her jaw clenched. She had lied to her brother-in-law. She was going to go find Anna.

* * *

The blonde patiently waited for the night to fall and Kristoff to go read a bedtime story to his daughter. Then she sneaked out of the castle, crafting herself a hood made of snow and ice to hide her face as she reached to the stables under the pouring rain.

When the servants there recognized her approach because only one person in the world could be wearing such a magically bright white outfit at this time of the day, she noted that her idea wasn't that clever.

Elsa excused herself as she made her way in, and assured them all to not be alerted as she requested for the fastest horse in the stables.

"Do you really want to go in such a rainfall at that time of day?" Asked one servant.

"Your Highness, are you certain?" Worried a stable boy.

"You shouldn't do such a thing." Advised another one.

She forced herself to smile. "Just indicate me the best horse there is, please."

The servants looked at each other, to dedicated and polite to contradict their ex-monarch.

"Alright. This way." Said a hostler.

She followed him to one of the boxes of the back. He showed Elsa a tall horse, who wasn't bigger than the horses on each side of it, but it looked muscular and definitely had an athletic body shape.

"Here's the fastest we have, Your Highness."

Elsa forgot for a moment the urgency of her plan and dove in the sight of the beautiful stallion. It was entirely brown and had an undeniable royal aura, like it had been waiting for this task all its life.

The Snow Queen had a serious face until now, but started to melt in a smile.

"Hello you."

She walked forward, and lifted a careful hand. The horse blinked as it inspected it, sniffed it, and willingly nuzzled in her palm.

Maybe Honeymaren was right. Maybe she had a natural predisposition for animals. It was true that the blonde now felt like she was connected to Nature, and she was persuaded it was an illusion due to the fact she was embracing her magical powers and Fifth Spirit duty. However, she understood in that moment that there was a true link between that horse and her. Was it destiny? Or shared kindness, which was often a starting point on why Elsa spoke to wild animals in the Enchanted Forest?

She kept smiling and gently passed a hand on its head.

"I've never seen you here... It's a new horse?"

The servant saluted her sense of observation. "Indeed. He just arrived yesterday. He's a foal who recently finished his training and education to be in the royal guard. I was there all along his progress. Trust my words, lady Elsa; this is the fastest horse in all Arendelle."

Elsa carefully listened to all he had said, fascinated, but what mattered most than that to her was if the horse agreed to let her ride him.

"What's his name?" She asked, and she hadn't detached her eyes from him since the beginning.

"Rask."

Elsa smiled widely at the name. "...Rask."

She locked her gaze into his. "Looks like you were destined to this day, uh? This is too many coincidences."

The horse lifted and lowered his head like he was actually nodding, and she chuckled. Slowly, very slowly, and only after making sure he was agreeing, she approached her forehead to his muzzle, and softly touched there with closed eyes.

All the servants stared at the scene in awe.

"You're ready?" Murmured Elsa, stepping back.

Rask neighed, so suddenly and powerfully that she actually winced with a smile, and all startled, because the stables had been silent until now with just their calm voices and the sound of the rain outdoors.

Before riding him, Elsa made sure that everything was alright with his health and cleanliness, then she only accepted the bare necessities when the hostler helped her getting him ready. She refused the saddle, telling the servant that she was used to ride Nokk bareback anyway – and being made of ice most of the time, she had been in the most extreme case – and declined the stirrups as well. It was a good thing to make the horse as free as possible for their very first ride.

"I'll only take the bridle." Concluded Elsa.

They all felt surprised by her choice, but nothing really surprised them about the Snow Queen anymore, so they obeyed and helped her to put the harness on. When the bit was put in his mouth, Elsa felt a pinch to her heart, but she had no choice.

After a while and carefully listening to all their instructions, the blonde walked with him outside and climbed up. She took a moment to get used to his size, for he didn't have quite the same proportions than the form the Water Spirit had chosen to take. At the sight of the rain, she stroked his mane.

"I'm sorry for the weather, dear. But I need you more than anything right now. Let's go check on my sister."

The horse twitched a bit, and it felt like a nod again. She wondered if he could actually understand her.

Elsa deeply thanked the servants and asked them to tell Kristoff and her niece that they shouldn't worry.

She then tapped her ankles against the stallion's sides, and they dashed forward on Arendelle's cobblestones in the dark of the night. As wind whistled to Elsa's ears and rain gushed on her hood, she felt a deep sensation of freedom. Only then she noted how much she had missed this; riding along the hills, taking in the fresh air and the power of her ride with the sound of hooves under her.

She grinned in happiness, her heart also filling with joy as she knew she would be much happier once she would be sure that Anna was alright.

In a few minutes, they were out of the village, and were crossing at full speed the countryside lands of the East toward Hitiheimr.

* * *

If she were able to connect with Rask's soul as she did with Nokk, she would congratulate him on how fast he was. The young horse was clever enough to see obstacles in advance, jumping over tree trunks and other accidents that had happened due to the storm. Hopefully, the path was mainly clear, and as her sister had underlined it a few days ago, the road to the Eastern kingdom was easy, for how many times it had been traced by merchants. Despite the heavy rain and mud, her stallion pierced the night like an ice arrow that Elsa would shoot from her bow as she hunted. It was perfect.

Soon, Elsa felt glad to have accepted the bride, for she realized that she had the reflex to ask the horse mentally to turn right or left, before remembering she actually was supposed to tug the reins for directions.

She missed Nokk terribly. At least, with them, she didn't use force during rides. They had become more than just fellow Spirits; the Water one had a unique connection with her, being a one of a kind friend and ally, and she tried to forget them as she was on this 'normal' horse. Nevertheless, Elsa couldn't deny it: the riding sensation was completely different. It was odd to not feel Rask's needs, sensations, and mood. Elsa loved to know how happy Nokk was when they were racing against Gale down the valleys, how sassy he was when he saw a young Northuldra fall off a branch, or how caring he was when he bumped his back to help her stand after a long tiring day.

As she thought again about Nokk's and Gale's friendship, Elsa frowned. Sincerely, how and why did the two Spirits get so angry at each other? As far as she could remember, she had never seen them going further than teasing.

She shook her head as she remained focused on the trail. Unlike when riding the Water Spirit, she couldn't let them do the job entirely and rest on their back from time to time.

A few hours later, something shiny attracted her eye in front of her, and Elsa gasped when she spotted something in the mud of the lane.

She briskly tugged on the horse's reins to make him stop, and he neighed in surprise and pain. She couldn't apologize for the reason of her eagerness, but felt terrible for hurting him.

"I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to pull that hard. I'm very nervous." She whispered to his ears, gently stroking his neck.

Rask forgave her, yet snorted to show his disagreement.

Elsa put him to a complete halt, going down and patting him as she slowly walked to the shining object. What was something like this doing in the wild?

Her eyes squinted through the curtain of rain as she approached, feeling instinctively attracted to the object. Dark clouds were hiding most of the moon, and there was no thunder, so Elsa only had little light. She only then realized that she had been riding in complete dark, too focused on heading straight forward to need a lantern.

The Snow Queen stood above the tiny glossy thing, which seemed less and less natural as Elsa inspected it, and she twirled her wrist to create a glow of blue magic. A snowflake the size of her fist popped from her palm and brightened the whole path, giving her a better vision of it and reflecting in Rask's curious eyes.

She crouched and touched the solid object with her fingers. The blonde felt that it was made of metal, and took it off the soil with ease, thanks to the rain softening it. Elsa's ice sandals were covered with it and her white pants and trains weren't much white anymore, but she didn't care. Her focus was entirely driven to the item, which was larger than she expected as she lifted it.

Turning it in her fingers and approaching the light of her magic to it, she rubbed her thumb over the motives and used the rain to take the dirt out of it, making it shine even more. She frowned with confusion, tilting her head. It was something familiar, yet that she felt like she hadn't seen much... It was the size of her hand and had a curved shape, and when she revealed the seven tips all decorated with embedded crocuses, she squealed in a loud gasp.

Her azure blue eyes widened, along the glow of her snowflake, which became more intense at her distress.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yep it's shorter than the others because I use it as a transition, a pivot point ;) For what, you may ask, as you're already busy grabbing my collar and yelling at me for such a panicking cliffhanger? Oh, you shall see.
> 
> Let's say that we reached the middle of the fic and that we kind of enter the second movement.
> 
> Twist: there is more than two movements in the story. MWAHAHAH.
> 
> Don't look at me like that, you love my flangst. Don't deny it.
> 
> The readers of UTFK know what I mean. You haven't got it already? Check my profile for the link!


	6. All hail

There was no doubt. Elsa kept turning the crown between her fingers, and it was indeed her sister's. Why was Anna's crown lost in the middle of nowhere?

A flash of her younger's coronation came to her eyes, smiling as she held the orb and scepter. It got layered with a vision of Anna suffering, and Elsa winced. She lost her balance, almost falling in the mud.

Her blood turned cold, and it wasn't just a metaphor. The magic glow in her hand turned in a higher shade of blue, and the big ice snowflake she was making float above her palm was getting brighter and brighter, but also colder and colder. The air around it started to turn to smoke. The rain passing near her skin turned to snow before touching the ground.

The blonde's breathing hitched, and she was staring at the crown in her hand like she was facing a ghost.

"Anna..." She moaned, her eyebrows twisted in a devastated expression.

Rask suddenly neighed, warning her of the sudden cold on the path and taking her out of her reverie.

The Snow Queen startled, and shook her head.

"No. No, this can't be true. You can't be..."

Even by whispering, she couldn't say the word. She gulped, and stood up. With a trembling pace, she walked back to her horse, and was about to climb on his back.

However, when she touched the back of Rask's neck to get up, the stallion neighed in fear, the touch being extremely cold.

Elsa gasped when she understood and apologized right away. She took a step back and tried to calm down her breathing. However, her twisted mind kept imagining a hundred sad ways Anna could have lost her crown here. She squeezed her eyes shut with a groan.

"Stop it. Stop it!"

Her fists clenched in anger at herself, and in the process, she crushed the glowing snowflake. It turned to ice dust that fell to the ground, plunging the path in darkness again. In her other hand, however, she felt the hard steel of Anna's crown, and the tips ornated with crocuses pricking her skin as she clamped it. Elsa stopped at the pain – both physical and psychological – that it procured her, and looked down at the object, her gaze lost in the rain.

She remembered that, on the first day she had seen the crown, she had admired how the color of its green enlightened Anna's eyes. She remembered that, when Anna had lifted her head after she crowned her, her gaze had descended from the crocuses of steel to the teal blue eyes just as powerful and solid of her little sister, staring right back at her. In that moment, Anna simply was the most beautiful Elsa had never seen, and she actually didn't watch her long because she then saw blur due to the tears filling her eyes. Hopefully, she had blinked them away and continued the ceremony, supported by Anna's touched smile, and later the claps of all the people present in the chapel.

Another thing had hit Elsa that day at Anna's coronation; she knew instantly, by staring at those unique eyes, that her little sister would be the most amazing person she had ever seen. She would fight for what's good, she would always be open-minded, she would always turn danger away, but also, she would never ever surrender.

Elsa's gaze lifted up. Her eyes were determined now. Anna had to be safe. Somewhere.

She approached Rask, gently stroking them in excuse and care, and once the horse snorted, she climbed on his back.

Slamming her ankles against his flanks to send the stallion into gallop, she prayed for Anna to be safe in Hitiheimr, holding her crown close.

* * *

Elsa quite literally barged into the kingdom. She had come to Hitiheimr in the past when she was Queen, so she knew where to head to the castle's gates. Hopefully in that sad downpour time, nobody was in the streets, and as the castle had no ramparts, she got to the entrance really quickly. She hesitated between jumping off Rask and running to the doors, or gently putting the horse in the stables. When she saw the armored guards walking to her with voulges, their helmets and plastrons shining in the light of dawn, she preferred to go for the second option.

Elsa hoped down the horse, and was about to run to the stable boys. The stallion neighed to get her attention. She twirled around, because he sounded like he warned her that she forgot something. She followed Rask's nod and saw that she was covered with mud from her feet to her tibias, not being very white anymore.

With a gasp, she cleaned herself in a burst of scrubbing snowflakes, and the heavy rain did the rest.

"Thanks, Rask."

The Arendellian horse neighed.

It attracted the servants' attention, and they came to her as she entered the stables. She explained the situation, and soon the guards came to her because they thought she was a thief – and very indiscreet one, remarked one of them, for she was entirely dressed in white with a clear blue ice armor. Elsa presented herself and summarized the urgency, then took leave and went to the castle's heavy portcullis.

Hitiheimr's castle was more medieval and had rounder shapes than Arendelle's. Its stones were brown and black, and it had several towers, which gave it a haunted aura in the grey early light of day, though Elsa truly didn't care. She explained her venue to the guards on the other side of the grid. They opened it up for her in a concert of metal chains and grunts, and the portcullis was barely one meter high off the stone that Elsa slid underneath and ran past them. Confused, they looked at her make her way through the courtyard, and into the castle.

The interior was way less lit than Arendelle's corridors, due to the lack of windows and the use of fire torches on the walls as mere light. Elsa knew that this was an advantage and meant that the castle's walls were thick and more apt to block invaders, but in that time, she was begging to see better. Her panicked steps led her into every corridor, her eyes scanning every face searching for Anna. There were a lot of people between the royals, their politicians, and the Hitiheimr staff. Elsa couldn't help but frown at the crowd. Weren't they supposed to be in a meeting? Did it end already? No, she could tell they were all waiting, and that nothing had started yet.

At a corner, Elsa's gaze was attracted by a cascade of fiery orange on her right, and thought it was the flame of a torch. However, she then turned her head again and realized that this flame was at her height, and it was talking with a black man who looked exactly like... Mattias.

"ANNA!"

She had yelled her name with all the force in her lungs, and it echoed against the stones of the walls. Many persons turned around, but once again Elsa didn't care at all.

As she ran at full speed to her sister, the redhead followed Mattias' shocked stare and turned around, just in time to have a bright white thing grabbing her arms with full force.

"ARE YOU ALRIGHT?"

A very noisy bright white thing.

"What the—"

Elsa was checking every inch of her body, palpating her arms, legs, face, and so on.

"ARE YOU _ALRIGHT_?!"

"Sweet goodness, Elsa, yes, I am. What are you doing hhhh—?"

Elsa only needed for her sister to say the word before hugging her tight and burying her face in her neck. The air got ripped from Anna's lungs at the force of the embrace. It wasn't the most powerful she had ever given her, but it definitely entered the top five.

"El...sa..."

She tapped her elder's back like she was stuck in a wrestling match. The blonde parted the hug, and she gasped as she could finally breathe.

Anna held to her sister's shoulder, the other hand on her chest, panting as she retrieved oxygen.

"What in Odin's name..."

"Hello, Mattias." Smiled Elsa.

The man blinked at her sudden happiness, probably due to know that Anna was safe, and he awkwardly bowed.

"G... Good morning, Your Highness."

Elsa returned to inspecting Anna's state, her fingers checking her neck. "Are you sure you're not hurt somewhere?"

The redhead swatted her hand. "I'm _fine!_ Will you _please_ tell me what the heck you're doing here?"

The Snow Queen let out a long exhale, the effort and panic that held to her during the ride finally slipping out.

"I had to make sure you were okay."

Anna blinked in bewilderment. "Well, I _am_ , but now I'm starting to think that you aren't. Are you feverish again?"

"No! I'm perfectly healthy!"

Everything in her behavior stated the opposite. Elsa had messy hair, and she had just soaked Anna with her hug because of how much rain she still had on her.

"When did you arrive?" Asked Mattias, surprised nobody warned of her arrival the day before.

"I just did. I'm coming from the stables."

Two pairs of eyes widened in front of her.

"You traveled by _night?_ " Exclaimed the general.

Anna frowned.

"Then where's your..."

She then realized that of course, Elsa wasn't accompanied by any guard.

"You came alone?!"

The Snow Queen genuinely couldn't see where the problem was, and got intrigued by their expressions. "Why, yes."

Anna massaged the top of her nose.

"Okay, now... How to phrase that politely... ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR GODDAMN MIND?"

Elsa startled at the shout, and Mattias urged to quiet her. Some leaders turned around at the sound, and exchanged some commentaries.

Anna pushed the soldier's arm.

"Are you— Stop it, let me talk to her. Are you _aware_ of how stupidly dangerous it is to have come to me and done such a trip?"

Elsa was about to reassure her softly, but rather frowned and grumbled.

"Oh, so when _you_ go, it's the safest path in the world, but when _I_ go, it's perilous?"

Anna replied with as much force, and the two sisters fought out loud with sharp arguments.

"Please, don't quarrel again..." Insisted Mattias, his jaw clenching.

He addressed a sorry gesture to the people watching them. The sisters were fully sending each other's aggressive remarks now.

"Your Highnesses, you're making a scene. Please stop."

Elsa finally was the one who paid attention to the general and his worry, so she forced the redhead to quiet down.

"Anna. If I risked my life like that, it was to make sure you were okay. But now that I know you are, I'm infinitely relieved and happy."

The Queen pouted. Elsa kept going.

"I couldn't sleep at night thinking you were out there, maybe trapped in this storm, and we didn't receive any missive..."

"The messengers are all busy traveling the country to get information from the Southern Isles." Stated Anna, thinking out loud.

Mattias nodded.

"That explains it." Understood Elsa.

Then she frowned. "Wait, the Southern Isles?"

Anna waved her hand to dismiss the discussion. "We'll come back to it later."

Elsa sighed, actually retrieving her normal breathing only now.

She looked at her sister with a smile, and hugged her tight. This time, the hug was slow and tender. Mattias smiled at the scene, and Anna closed her eyes as she embraced her elder warmly.

The blonde inhaled Anna's scent to calm herself down, and when she passed a hand in her long hair, she realized something.

"Oh, wait."

She parted from the hug and Anna lifted a curious eyebrow. Elsa noticed that she had been crying a bit, but looked down to the clear blue satchel made of ice fabric that she had crafted at her waist.

She took out Anna's crown, and it shone at the light of the torches suspended on the walls.

"I think this belongs to you." She announced, half gently and half sarcastic.

She handed it to her sister. Anna's eyes went big as she gasped in surprise, the bright crown reflecting in her pupils.

"Oh my gods, there it is! I've been looking for it everywhere!"

Even Mattias seemed impressed and relieved at the vision of it.

"She had searched for it all day yesterday, we had started to lose hope."

Elsa stared at them. "Wait, so nothing happened? No accident? No aggression? Nothing? You just... Dropped it in the mud?"

"I had the very bad idea to put it in the back pocket of my orange bag. You know, the one with the hole at the bottom that I keep forgetting to sew? The question was: when did the crown fall?"

Elsa blinked disconcertedly. "Are you serious?! Why do you still have this bag?"

Anna pouted. "Because it's pretty!"

Elsa buried her face in her hand.

The redhead then frowned, looking at the item in her fingers. "Wait, you found it in the mud? Then why is it so clean?"

She inspected it. It was shining brightly, like the day she received it from the blacksmith and tried it for the first time. She turned it between her fingers, and blabbered in amazement.

"Wha— How? It looks brand new!"

Elsa followed her gaze. "I had to keep my hand busy on the way to not freeze the reins of my horse, and not hurt him. So I focused on twirling it in my hand again and again. I was a bit fidgety...

"But I had it for more than ten years. Like, I know there was a rust spot here. It's not just cleaned, it's..."

"Oh, yes. With the Northuldra, I've come to learn how to maintain metal, especially metal blades after hunt on old rusty knives. Almost all of the Sami people carry a knife. I just used my magic to polish it. With the right amount of vibrations by condensing billions of snowflakes... What?"

She noticed that Anna had been smiling deeply at her words.

"What did I say?"

"Nothing. Nothing more nerdy than usual." Grinned the redhead.

"So you really came here on a horse?" Intervened Mattias.

Anna turned to him comically. "That's the part that surprises you?"

The sisters chuckled, and after admiring it some seconds again, the Queen lifted the crown and put it back in her hair.

Elsa smiled tenderly. At last, everything was back to normal.

"Thank you so much for bringing it back to me. It could have been lost forever."

"You're welcome. I wasn't going to keep it for me anyway..." She joked to chase her emotion.

Her younger stared at her, and she could tell that Elsa was still affected by the haunting thought that Anna possibly didn't make it to the kingdom.

A memory of her voice echoed in her mind. 'If I lost you, I think I'd lose myself.'

She bit her lip and held Elsa's hand in hers firmly.

"Are you hungry? We can ask to get you something."

"Yeah, actually, I didn't bring anything for the trip, and the emotion starved me, so..."

The Queen shook her head. "Why doesn't that surprise me. I'll ask for Hitiheimr servants to get you the same things we got for breakfast."

"If that doesn't make you late for the meeting... But it is my understanding that you won't start until the King of the Southern Isles has arrived, isn't it?"

"Yes, exactly."

A silence passed.

"You're very tempted to make an allusion to Hans, uh?" Guessed Anna, grinning.

"Very. But it's his brother, so I'm not going to."

The redhead nodded.

"It's the occasion for you to take a break. For me as well, I have to admit. You gave me such a fright when you appeared..."

"You definitely both need it." Advised Mattias, smiling.

His gaze then went to Elsa. "And if I may, I think you're in great need of a towel as well."

"I'm fine."

Anna winced, looking at her from head to toe. "I'm not. It's the second time in two weeks that I see you coming to me completely alarmed and drenched. Please do your floaty water thing before I have a cardiac arrest."

"Got it."

Under Mattias' wide eyes and dropped jaw, Elsa closed her eyes and focused, taking the raindrops out of her ice and snow clothes and hair. They flew and vanished in the air, then she passed a hand in her short spiky bangs to add an aesthetic layer of ice.

"Heavens, that is amazing." Muttered the general.

The few royals who had witnessed the scene in the corridor almost fainted at the sight.

"Let's get you something to eat." Smiled Anna. "Mattias, you can close your jaw."

The soldier smiled as the two sisters walked away, and he followed. So Elsa had made it all the way here only to check that her little sister was alright... They both had traveled the distance from Arendelle to Hitiheimr for two very different reasons and goals. Yet they shared the same motivation.

He discreetly chuckled. They truly were one leader and one protector, and forming a complete Bridge.

* * *

"Wait, what?" Exclaimed Elsa, not believing her ears.

"You're coming with me. You came all the way here, no? Then make yourself useful." Teased Anna.

"But..."

"The King of the Southern Isles has just arrived. It's now or never to ask to have another person present at the meeting. Be by my side during the meeting. If you will, of course."

The blonde missed a heartbeat, her mouth trembling a bit as she had to take that suggestion in. She then closed it, and bowed with a smile.

"It would be an honor, Your Majesty."

The royals all assembled in the meeting room, and the King of the Southern Isles appeared next to Anna, Elsa and Mattias as they were the last persons to pass the door. He talked to the King of Hitiheimr who was standing by the entrance.

"Please forgive me for my late arrival. The sea is raging, and our ship got delayed."

"It's alright, Your Majesty." Assured their host. "After you."

Mattias stared at him with disdain. He found it very rude to be late. If the monarch knew the sea was stormy, then why not leaving early? He lived on an island after all, surely they could plan these things.

Elsa stared at him with guilt. The man surely had risked his life coming here, but also the life of the advisor coming along with him – as the King of Hitiheimr suggested each monarch could be accompanied with one – and each and every life of the sailors on the ship. Nevertheless, she couldn't help but think that it wasn't that bad if he died, for he had numerous brothers who could inherit of the kingdom, and that the death of twelve siblings would never be enough to pay for the crimes Hans had committed towards Anna and her.

Anna stared at him with an undeniable hint of arousal. The King was muscular, tall, had an apologetic smile that could stop an arrow in mid-air, and piercing green eyes which seemed to get into her very soul and give the promise to grant her every wish. Her throat got dry when she noticed that he would sit in front of her. If only his family didn't carry the bastard who had tried to kill her...

The three of them hurried to shake those bad thoughts out of their heads, and mentally apologized for being this judgmental.

They all took place around the large table. It was more rustic than the one in Arendelle castle's meeting room. It had more curves and thicker wood, noticed Elsa, so despite the different style, it actually was just as beautiful.

Anna explained the presence of Elsa to everyone, asking for the acceptance of her sister among them. Anna then took her seat between the King of Efstfold and the King of Bjargland.

There were eight monarchs. Mattias winced internally when he saw that, in all the room, only one other woman was wearing a crown. All other royals were men. He turned to Elsa. The blonde must have known this sad fact already, for she didn't react. After all, she had been Queen of Arendelle herself for 3 years, so she surely had had meetings with people around this table. Mattias then realized that it meant that nothing had changed in 11 more years. Only two women in power were seating in the council, against six men.

All sat, and their advisors stood up next to them, behind the chairs, to leave the lead to their superiors. Mattias was standing on Anna's right side, and Elsa on her left.

After presenting everyone, and the topic of this exceptional venue, the session started.

The King of Hitiheimr started to remind everyone why they were assembled here on this day, then turned to Anna.

"Queen Anna, I suppose that you wish to start."

"Exactly. Thank you, King Isak. Your Majesties, I had the chance and yet the misfortune to see the progress of the storm that affects us all today."

She explained how it led them to all gather in urgency, and they agreed.

"It is a storm that is not to be taken lightly." Advised Anna.

"It fuels itself with the force of Nature, and therefore, won't be stopped by human means." Completed Elsa, bringing her knowledge, and her addition surprised everyone. "To alleviate it, we are required to think strategica—"

A King coughed in a way he wanted discreet, but it actually wasn't at all, being in fact very rude. When everyone turned to him, he smiled.

"Pardon my interruption, but I don't think that Lady Elsa should interfere. We were allowed to bring only _one_ advisor with us, and it's properly unfair that Queen Anna gets to be this surrounded."

Several murmurs appeared around the table. Elsa gulped and took this as a cue to exit the room, and she left without a word. Anna however held her wrist right away. Before the blonde could even look down at the freckled hand grasping her, the younger tugged Elsa back to where she had been standing.

"My sister won't go anywhere."

This brought a cold silence in the room, and the King of Blómvegr encouraged the presence of Elsa by asking her a question.

"Surely you can bring us more information as you're here, Lady Elsa?"

The blonde gulped as all gazes fell on her. "Yes. I can. I think that this storm may be magical, and created by two Spirits."

"May be?" Repeated the King of Efstfold, frowning. "What do you mean, 'may be'?!"

He was outraged, and another ruler joined in the anger.

"Aren't you the Fifth Spirit?"

"Y-yes, I am..."

As she struggled with her words, she couldn't help but notice that they hadn't been surprised at the mythical part of her sentence. What annoyed them was her incompetence. It hurt her right into her heart.

"And aren't you _supposed_ to know it, as the Fifth Spirit?" Intervened now the King of Mosiland.

Elsa clenched her jaw, her emotion rising, and she thought of Honeymaren to not break into tears.

"They're right!" Pitched the King of Efstfold, exclaiming again. "Why don't you do anything to stop it? It's your duty!"

Elsa felt stupid. "I... I tried, but..."

"You _tried_." Sighed the King of Bjargland. "And failed, apparently. And now we're all impacted by this storm."

Elsa lowered her eyes, ashamed. Anna was as red as a beet, however, and furious of their behavior.

"Why are you even here, Lady Elsa?" Grumbled the same monarch, his tone severe. "This is a high board meeting. Not a—"

"That's right." Cut Anna, and everyone turned to her because of her clear voice. "She wasn't invited to this meeting and King Isak had to kindly accept her presence among us. She's not even allowed to intervene in this discussion."

Elsa turned to Anna, about to say something, but the redhead's eyes were on fire and she kept going.

"Which is _why_ , if you've got anything to say to my sister, you go through me."

All got impressed by her regal voice.

"And I'll speak in her name for the rest of the conference. On that note, before you have any question regarding means of resolution by magic, know that I can attest that Snow Queen Elsa, as the Fifth Spirit of Nature and guardian of Ahtohallan, did all she could to stop this storm before even coming to Arendelle."

A respectful silence followed. Mattias looked at Elsa with smiling eyes. The blonde was stunned, her big azure blue eyes sparkling at the light of the chandelier. Anna cleared her throat and kept going.

"This storm has magical origins, and it's growing more and more every passing day."

Some trusted her words, but others stared at her with spite.

"And I suppose that this magical manifestation stops right at the Northuldra territory borders?" Insinuated the King of Bjargland.

Anna had to bite her lip to not grunt at his annoying tone.

"No. It may be a magical storm, it is nationwide. Which is why we have to act all together to protect all of our people. _Including_ Sami tribes."

Half of the royals at the table nodded in agreement. But several groans fused. The other half still had trouble understanding the need to generously help the tribes which offered nothing in return, for they weren't interested in joining the country's market trades.

This was a one-year old debate, and the Kings kept being close-minded on this point.

"And I suppose that you merged with their land without telling us?" Accused a leader.

Elsa found that intervention rude, but kept her reverential mask of silence.

Anna stared at him.

"In fact, we never intended and will never intend to merge Arendellian and Northuldra territories, despite our relationship based on peace and respect for the past 11 years."

She purposely weighed those positive terms to tell them in subtext that they better not critic her position towards the Sami people.

"It's a deliberate choice." She continued. "That way, we can ensure that nobody would build a house or a facility on a border of Arendelle thinking it's a virgin land, when in fact it's Northuldra territory."

The same groaning Kings than before groaned again.

"Even if the Northuldra don't have houses there?"

"Yes. It's still their land." Insisted Anna. "And I forbid any acquisition or colonization of it."

The monarch who asked the question grumbled, and he took note of something on his papers. Elsa understood that her sister had just cancelled a plan of his.

"Now I think that we stepped out of the topic." Coughed slightly the King of Hitiheimr.

"Yes. As I told you, the magic storm knows no limits and no borders in every meaning of the term." Summarized Anna, and she side-looked at Elsa who approved with a discreet nod. "Now or never is the time to unite, and take care of everyone in this perilous period."

Anna's teal blue eyes inspected all the council members before dropping her tactical decision.

"I think that we should all ask our armies to stop what they are doing and order the soldiers of each of our kingdoms to help the citizens, and help build infrastructures which could have suffered so far."

The Kings of Efstfold and Mosiland scoffed as they lost their breath.

"Mobilizing our armies?"

"Are you insane?"

Mattias frowned at the direct insult. If it was in a less diplomatic context, he would have attacked the monarch back in Anna's defense.

"I am very sane, Sir. This is a deeply thought assessment." Assured the redhead, firm in her response, and she didn't need Mattias' support.

"But... Your Majesty, with all due respect..." Started the King of Blómvegr. "What proves us that this is a safe solution?"

An advisor bent to talk to the ear of the Queen of Ellriheimr, thought he did it high enough for the whole room to hear. "My Queen, I don't think this is a good suggestion to follow. It could be a trap."

The leader frowned as she thought. She made eye contact with Anna, who obviously had been listening to that guidance to argue against.

"Queen Anna, can you attest that you won't use this opportunity for an assault?"

"Yes, what proves us that this is not all a ruse, and that Arendelle won't attack us as soon as we withdraw our armies?" Frowned the monarch of Efstfold.

Anna was shocked by the accusation. "Never would I do that!"

Her surprise was genuine and could be read on the honest woman's face. Those who had trusted her so far understood that she meant no harm, but for the other remaining, she had just implied war.

"Do you intend to take advantage of that magic storm to extend the territory of Arendelle? And reinforce your position as the leading kingdom?" Frowned the King of Bjargland.

Anna's jaw dropped. Not only this was a strong allegation, but it also was stupid, for Arendelle was by far the largest land of the country, and had no purpose nor desire in extending more, especially after inheriting from Runeard's plans.

However, their mistrust was legitimate, and Anna had to pledge the dubious faces turned to her that she wasn't scamming anyone.

"King Markus, you know deep down that such a thought would never come to me."

Mattias and Elsa exhaled discreetly, happy to see Anna had the correct answer.

"Queen Britt, King Kjetil, our geopolitical relationship goes back many years. My sister herewith has already proven to you of Arendelle's peaceful intentions when she was on the throne."

The two leaders lowered their gazes, exchanging even another between them and admitting they judged her too quickly. And just like that, the Queen of Ellriheimr and the King of Efstfold joined Anna's decision and listened carefully to what she had to say for the rest of the conference.

Two Kings still had not much trust in her. It was mainly due to the anger to listen to the decisions of the youngest monarch around the table who also happened to be a woman, but never would they admit it out loud.

"King Tom..." Started Anna, addressing to the head of Mosiland, and Elsa was impressed at how well she slid their names with a regal way, to be familiar with them without being disrespectful. "...Our two lands already had been in a similar situation a few years ago when a cliff had collapsed down South and fell on a road that both our kingdoms use."

He bit his lip. "And Arendelle helped us without compensation."

They all looked down, regretting a bit to have raised their voices.

His counterpart of Hitiheimr smiled, and took advantage of a silence to add: "Arendelle and Hitiheimr have been partners for several generations now, and we didn't have a single problem in our history."

He turned to his right, where the King of the Southern Isles was seating. "I suppose that you don't see any harm coming from Arendelle as well, King Ruben?"

The man who had been silent and observing until now finally smiled. "None at all. Besides, we have a long debt of forgiveness towards Arendelle that I'm afraid will never be fully returned. So I stand by Queen Anna's choice."

Elsa and Anna noticed that he had been staring at them as he talked, and they were glad it had been addressed. They both nodded quietly.

The redhead eyed all of the monarchs. "To prove to you all that I don't intend to attack you, I'll leave here in Hitiheimr the general of my army, Destin Mattias, for as long as this storm lasts."

She gestured to the soldier on her right, and they all widened their eyes in surprise. Did she just point to her advisor?

Elsa missed a heartbeat, but Mattias remained stoic.

"He's someone you can trust with your life, and I sincerely believe you can all place your future in his hands without blinking an eye. He's an acutely skilled soldier, and an excellent general. His competences in strategy are close to perfection. As you can see, he's also my advisor today, because he happens to be my counselor. In other words... His presence here and away from the kingdom of Arendelle is a proof that I stand no chance if I attack you. Without general Mattias, I am in disadvantage to operate such an action."

Every monarch dropped their jaw. Elsa smiled at Anna's wisdom, and if she wasn't keeping her serious attitude for the conference, she would have cried.

Anna then pushed everything further with another promise.

"I also engage myself to give all the resources of Arendelle you might need right away."

A round of gasps and mutters went across the table. Whispers came from advisors to rulers and back.

Elsa hurried to Anna's ear, taking advantage of the jumble it had created to speak.

"Anna, you can't be serious. Your people need those resources." Panicked the blonde with wide eyes. "You can't do that."

The redhead placed a hand on hers as she was holding to the arm of her chair to bend to her.

"Don't worry. I did the math the night before last." Murmured back Anna. "It's a solid plan. Trust me."

Elsa stared at her for a moment, then smiled. "Okay."

Anna smiled back, and her expression turned back to serious as she looked at the leaders again.

"What do you think?" Inquired the Queen to the council.

"This is a colossal statement, Your Majesty." Puffed a King.

"It is indeed." Smiled Anna, slightly sarcastic. "I let you think about it."

As the leaders all mumbled about it again, she gave a quick look at Mattias, who approved her speech with a smile and a nod. Elsa looked down at her younger, whose eyes were sparkling with intelligence and determination. She had prepared everything. Elsa's heart filled with pride to call her her sister.

She bent to her sister once again.

"Wait... If Mattias isn't at your side as you travel back to Arendelle..."

Anna turned with a smile.

"I'll come back with you, remember? I don't risk anything."

Elsa smiled widely.

The King of Blómvegr cleared his throat for everyone to quiet, and spoke to everyone. "I think Queen Anna convinced us all. It is a one of a kind time, and it calls for special measures. I agree with you, Your Majesty."

Anna gave him a thankful nod.

"I also agree to mobilize the army of my kingdom and share its resources." Announced the King of Bjargland.

"King Isak and I also follow that movement." Stated the King of the Southern Isles, after a quick look at his ally.

The Queen of Ellriheimr held her chin as she thought.

"You are certainly right. As long as we cannot predict the progress of this storm, our kingdoms should help each other out."

The King of Mosiland slammed his hand on the table, a bit too heavily, and everyone startled. "Alright, I join my kingdom to do the same process as well."

The remaining monarch, of Efstfold, seemed convinced now that his seatmate had picked a side. "I join the movement."

Elsa and Anna got flabbergasted by how fast the reticent monarchs had changed their decision. Mattias, however, wasn't surprised. Anna's persuasion power was always impressive. Once, she managed to pressure him enough to wear a hat as he was about to have a walk with Halima. Despite him finding the hat ridiculous, she used the right arguments, and less than ten minutes later, he was at the store buying it. Halima hadn't detached her eyes from him for the whole stroll, and it had been a milestone in their relationship. He couldn't have thanked her enough. On another thought, Mattias noted that without Anna's tenacity and assurance, Elsa's life journey would certainly have been different.

Little by little, all leaders had accepted to join the treaty, and when the King of Hitiheimr asked for voters to manifest themselves, all rose their hands in favor. The host took in the fact they all agreed with his role of witness. He stood up happily.

"Then the decision has been taken unanimously! All Kingdoms will help wherever the need arises."

As everyone clapped with diplomatic smiles, Anna couldn't believe her eyes. She was the ghost of herself as she forced her face into a royal one and applauded along, doing all she could to not cry right then. She felt Elsa's hand on her shoulder, squeezing there. Her sister was as emotional as she was.

They had made it! They had made a peaceful and assisting treaty based on mutual aid! The redhead gulped. How many times has she dreamed about this moment happening since she became Queen more than ten years ago? She felt like she should have done a bucket list to have the joy of crossing that line out with all her might.

"Alright. The meeting is over. Thank you all, Your Majesties, ladies and gentlemen, for your vivid participation." Smiled the King of Hitiheimr.

He turned to the redhead. "Thank you especially, Queen Anna. Your dedication and honesty truly make this country stand."

Anna blushed slightly, and Mattias and Elsa had a proud nod of agreement. The Queen masked her blush with a smile and a bow.

"Thank you, King Isak. But you're the one keeping it together."

A silence passed as they all nodded.

"That's right." Said the Queen of Ellriheimr. Thank you for your hospitality and your time."

They all left in good terms, slowly exiting the room and shaking hands or bowing. Elsa felt intense warmth in her soul at the sight, and the magic coldness calmed a bit in her veins.

* * *

A hand slid in Anna's as she walked in the corridor. She was used to this specific touch, and turned with a smile before even seeing her sister's face.

"Thank you for defending me during the meeting." Smiled Elsa tenderly. "Recently, I started doubting of myself and my capacities as the Fifth Spirit."

Anna held her sister's hand tightly.

"I'll always defend you from anyone who aims to demean you, Elsa. And by the way, that means you too if you continue to depreciate yourself, young lady."

Her expression had switched from loving to scolding, and they had suddenly stopped in the hall. Elsa bit her lips in a faulty manner.

"Because, seriously? Do you hear what you say?" Exclaimed Anna. "How can you doubt of your skills, when earlier, you literally have made water levitate from your body?"

A smile stretched the blonde's lips.

"You're right."

"Damn right I am."

They chuckled.

"You shouldn't swear here." Giggled Elsa, looking around them like the Hitiheimr castle was a sacred place.

The sisters kept laughing, and Mattias walked to them. Anna's behavior changed when he was near, and the elder noticed that her face was covered with worry.

"Sorry for being this dramatic during the meeting. I didn't intend to throw you into the fire like that."

The man chuckled. "It was fine. You did well. It was exactly like we planned."

Elsa's jaw dropped, and she smiled. "You two planned that? Oh, of course you did." She then comically slapped her forehead. "You two will never stop amazing me."

Anna looked at her general.

"Mattias, is it okay if we leave now?"

"It's perfectly fine, Your Majesty. I will handle things here. I'll be of great help in the management during the crisis."

The sisters smiled at his anticipation. The soldier grinned.

"Also, may I add, it was an excellent meeting. You lead admirably. And you have a remarkable sense of improvisation as well."

Anna smirked and shove him gently on the arm.

"When will you stop complimenting me for little things, Mattias?"

He smiled. "I'm afraid I'm unable to stop since I saw you destroy the dam that day."

Elsa put a hand on her little sister's shoulder. "That was impressive, Anna. I agree with him. You were incredible, and everyone got speechless!"

"Well, one or two Kings couldn't stop criticizing me, but... I'm not gonna cite their names." Giggled the Queen.

An hour later, the servants prepared their horses, and Elsa made sure that Rask agreed to ride over this soon. To the stables staff astonishment, the stallion had a lot of energy and was even very enthusiastic to have an epic ride with Elsa again. She giggled, and the redhead tied her heavy fur coat, she looked at Elsa's equipment, which had been reduced to the bare necessities.

"You really did fast, uh? Just a bridle. Thankfully, your horse doesn't seem to mind. Hey, did you at least warn Kristoff that you were leaving Arendelle in a hurry?"

Elsa bit her lip. "No."

Anna's face stretched in shock, and the blonde hurried to correct herself.

"But I sent him an ice statue message just earlier! I told him we're both alright and that we're making our way back home."

Anna sighed. "Okay."

Elsa's azure blue eyes seemed to still be marked with the panic that had rose in her when she saw Anna's crown lost in the night.

"How do you feel?" Asked the younger, her voice melting to a soft level.

The Snow Queen turned to her. That tone could make her burst to tears instantly because of how warm and caring it was, and with her tiredness, she was close.

"I... I thought I had lost you. And... I feel like if something happens to you in that storm, it would be my fault."

"Elsa, don't say that. It's not your fault at all."

"You're right. Not directly. It indirectly is my fault. Because of me, people are in danger every d—"

A finger had sealed her lips to be shut, and she startled at the gesture. Anna sighed, her arm stretched.

"I suppose that if I tell you one more time that you're not responsible, you won't believe me. So, hear me out, sis."

She took her finger off Elsa's lips, and the blonde was attentive.

" _Even_ if you were the culprit, and I were injured, I would not be resentful. If you can't counter it, why would I be angry at you?"

Elsa let out a noise that was a mix of a wet gasp and a relieved whimper. It was like all stress had lifted her soul, all weight had been taken off her shoulders, and she let them fall in a sigh.

A smile appeared at the corner of her lips.

"You're so comprehensive. Sometimes I wonder what kind of miracle allowed me to have you as my sister."

Anna smirked. "You should ask Ahtohallan. That's what the Bridge is all about, I suppose."

After they exchanged a smile, the redhead bent her head.

"Hey, are you sure you don't want to take a break before we go back to Arendelle?"

"No, I told you, I'm fine."

"And I told you to stop lying to make me happy. I know you haven't slept last night as you were hurrying to check on me."

"You know me two well, it's unfair." Muttered Elsa.

Anna pretended to not have heard that. Her elder gave up.

"Okay, we'll stop to make a camp on the day. The night will fall on our journey back anyway. Do we have a deal?"

"Definitely." Grinned Anna, who won everything in this situation; Elsa's health, and a night of ice hut camping under the stars with a transparent roof to stare at them like Elsa always made them.

The horses were brought, and they mounted them before going in the strong wind. They made their way out of the castle after thanking everyone.

At one of the windows of the towers, Mattias looked at them riding away. The King of Hitiheimr approached with a smile.

"They are unstoppable, aren't they?" Admired the monarch.

The general grinned with a nod.

"Yes, sir. They truly are."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one had been a lot of work. It's not my longest chapter ("only" 7500 words) but it definitely is the one I had the biggest headache on.
> 
> Tell me if you liked it! Don't forget to leave a review :D
> 
> sidenote: searching for names for Norse kings and queens is a nightmare. my brain still hurts ashdsfg though here are the definitions of their names:
> 
> King Isak of Hitiheimr (flame + land)
> 
> King Kjetil of Efstfold (highest + world)
> 
> King Markus of Bjargland (cliff + land)
> 
> Queen Britt of Ellriheimr (elder + land)
> 
> King Tom of Mosiland (moss + land)
> 
> King Morten of Blómvegr (flower + dimension)
> 
> and of course, King Ruben of the Southern Isles. Totally picked a random name for him lol
> 
> Arendelle should be written Árnadalr (now you know why the others sound so weird) because it's how it is in norwegian, but I prefered to keep it in the english version they put in the movie.
> 
> The national meeting between the kingdom leaders is entirely inspired by the Kage council in Naruto Shippuden and I'm not even sorry lol I just love how epic it is!


	7. Upwind

The sun rose with the storm for another morning. The hooves of Anna's and Elsa's horses were the only sound on the path as they trotted, accompanied by the whistling sound of the powerful wind blowing on them. Anna turned her head.

"Why are you staring at me like that? Did I put my fur coat wrong? Do I have something in my hair?"

Elsa giggled. "No. You look great. I was actually admiring you and I'm still impressed by your talent during yesterday's meeting."

Anna blushed, which was difficult to see for how much her long red hair was shaken by the wind, and coming in front of her cheeks. She also had buried half her face in her reindeer fur collar.

"Thank you." Muttered the Queen. "It means a lot to me. Especially coming from my predecessor."

Her elder smiled, and Anna looked down humbly. She then stared at the cheerful brown stallion Elsa was riding.

"He has a lot of energy!"

Elsa followed her gaze, then laughed and petted the horse's neck.

"He does. His name is Rask."

Anna smiled and scratched the horse. They were trotting close to each other and she just had to stretch her arm.

"Hi Rask. Thank you for bringing my sister safely."

The horse neighed, shaking his head to the younger. They both giggled.

"Why didn't you take an ice horse?"

"A nice horse? This one's really gentle."

"A horse made out of ice, you dummy."

"Oh. Well... I feel like it would be a bit disrespectful towards Nokk, no?"

Anna pouted at the thought. "Hmmm. Point taken. Not because it actually is rude, but because they're very spiteful. And if I were you, I wouldn't want to make them mad against me right now."

She pointed at the dark sky. Elsa lifted her eyes, and her gaze got lost. She slowly glanced down. The redhead bit her lip.

"Sorry. I shouldn't have brought that up. Gosh, I'm the worst at small talk. Excuse me, I got nervous."

"Don't. You're a really good talker. In politics and with people. Never doubt of that. It's just... I wish I could talk with Nokk. To understand the reason behind all this storm. They're not especially angry, it's more like... They're determined to win this fight and giving all their strength in it. I can feel it, and yet... They won't answer my calls. They have their own objective right now. And Ahtohallan knows how stubborn they are."

"Yep, all Spirits are."

Elsa smirked. "Are you trying to mock me? Because despite the direct insinuation, you're technically including yourself in it, dear other half."

Anna giggled. "Well, I _am_ proud to be stubborn."

"Oh, you are." Puffed her elder.

A silence passed as they trotted through a glade.

"Elsa..."

"Yes?"

"I wanted to ask you, while you're here, visiting us in Arendelle..."

The blonde turned to her younger, a bit worried. Anna cleared her throat.

"We were tidying the attic the other day, and..."

She was struggling to say what she meant to, and Elsa helped.

"You can get rid of my gloves."

"I know, we already talked about that. But... Sir Jorgenbjorgen..."

She looked at her elder. "Can I give it to Eydis?"

Elsa got emotional and speechless. Anna smiled at a memory as she kept going. "We were with Eydis when we were moving the furniture around. She saw the rocking horse in the attic, but she also saw your plush. I explained it to her, and what he was for you, and..."

The blonde led Rask closer, and she put a hand on her younger's.

"This is a lovely idea. I'll be happy to know that he'll be the confident and companion of a new person."

Anna melted in the same emotion than her elder.

"Thank you. I didn't dare to ask you earlier..."

The Snow Queen smiled. "It's fine." She then looked at the horizon, and clenched her reins. "Hey, race until the wheat fields?"

Her sister lifted an eyebrow. "Are you serious?"

"What? You're as eager as me to come back to Arendelle. Come on."

"Yeah, easy for you to say. Our horses have the same height, but you only have a bridle. Have you seen how many bags I have? And my saddle, and my stirrups?"

"Don't look for excuses."

"No, for real. You're also lighter than me. I gained a lot of weight during my pregnancy. This will be rigged."

Elsa had to restrain herself to eye-roll. Anna was sword training once per week, and had a fit body.

"Afraid of losing?" She teased. "Listen: first one to get there owe the other one the biggest box of chocolate treats from the store. I'll give you a few seconds head start."

Anna sighed. "You know I can't resist such a challenge."

"Just go, competitive dork, or I'll start counting."

The redhead grinned. No need to tell her twice. She yelled a 'YAH!' and her horse dashed forward, taking a remarkable advance with a distanced laughter.

"Wow, okay, now I regret that." Blinked Elsa. "Rask, are you ready? Let's show my sister what we've got."

The stallion neighed, and with a grin, she rushed behind her.

* * *

They eventually arrived to Arendelle in the early afternoon.

"And I'm telling you that you cheated." Teased Elsa, as they trotted through the village.

"I _didn't_." Repeated Anna. "You're just a sore loser. I want my box of chocolates by tomorrow morning."

Elsa grumbled. "I hate you."

Her sister snorted. "You? You're capable of hate? Have you _ever_ hated someone?"

The blonde winced. "I hated the bishop when he asked me to take off my gloves at my coronation."

Anna first felt sad, then burst of laughter when she saw Elsa's smirk.

"Stop it!"

She nudged her, and they nudged each other with bumps. Anna nearly fell of her horse after losing her balance and because of the strong wind, and they cackled of laughter.

Their laughter echoed in the courtyard as they passed the gates. Kristoff was stepping out of the stables and stared at them with a surprised smile.

"You two are coming back from a freezing weather, and you're laughing out loud."

Anna smiled at his presence.

"What? Is it bad?" She teased.

Kristoff puffed, and shrugged. "If you get a pneumonia, don't tell me I didn't warn you."

"Happy to see you too, honey." Said Anna as she got down her horse along Elsa.

The King laughed and hugged them both.

"And I can't catch such an illness." Reminded Elsa with a smile after their embrace.

"Say the one who sneezes snowmen."

The blonde frowned. "For the _last_ time, it was a stress fever!"

"Yeah, yeah." Smirked Anna. "Well, your immunity is an _excellent_ reason for you to go prepare us a hot chocolate while I go for a quick bath."

Elsa's jaw dropped when her sister put the reins of her horse in her hand.

"Hey!"

But they didn't listen to her. Kristoff swept Anna off her feet and carried her in bridal style, the redhead gasping and giggling in the move.

The blonde sighed with a smile as she watched the spouses hurry inside.

Once in the corridors, Kristoff twirled with his wife in pure happiness to be together again. After they shared a laugh, he put her on the carpet, and Anna wondered why their daughter wasn't tackling her legs already.

"Where's Eydis?"

"Oh, I lost her."

Anna eyed him. "Excuse me, you what?"

He chuckled. "Just to make it clear: we're playing hide and seek."

"Okay. So, the game is to find her, uh? How come you didn't already?" She teased.

"Don't judge me." Nudged Kristoff. "I'm sure you can't find her easily either. She knows the castle by heart now, and I've been at it for the past half hour."

Anna gave him a challenging eyebrow lift, and put her hands on each side of her mouth to yell. "Eydis! Mama's here! Come say hi!"

Only the noise of the wind howling outside and the distant sound of cooks in the kitchens answered her.

"Yeah, as if it would work." Smirked the King. "I told her you would arrive soon right after I received Elsa's ice statue message. She planned this all along."

"I can easily imagine her giggling in a corner." Smiled Anna.

Kristoff's sentence gave her an idea. "Elsa is with me!" She yelled.

Another silence.

"Nope. Doesn't work either."

Anna eyed her husband, and gave it another try. "She'll make hot chocolate!"

Suddenly, a loud thud noise echoed upstairs, like someone who just jumped from the top of a wardrobe. Tiny excited footsteps betrayed the way the child made all along the room then the corridor, heading for the stairs.

"I'M COMING!"

"There."

Kristoff snorted. "You clever feisty pants."

"As Elsa often says, she's a mini-me. That was an obvious trick."

Less than five seconds later, Eydis was running down, leaping over the last steps to run to her mother.

"Where is it?! Where is it?!"

"My, how incredibly rude." Laughed Anna. "Hi to you too, sweetie."

Eydis didn't focus on the right thing. "Sorry. Please, where is the hot chocolate?"

Anna giggled loudly and grabbed her daughter to tickle her belly and shake her playfully.

"You little rascal! Where are your manners, uh?"

Eydis laughed at the tickles, and finally gave a kiss on her mother's cheek. "You're back!"

"Always."

They cuddled, and Kristoff watched the scene with love. Their daughter pointed at him with a small finger.

"Papa, that doesn't mean you won this round."

"Got it."

Eydis buried her face in Anna's collar, then wrinkled her nose. "Why do you smell like mud?"

Kristoff gasped with amusement. "Truth comes out the mouth of children..."

Anna sniffed her clothes and winced. "And I'm not gonna scold her for her manners this time. I truly smell like mud. I'll be back in a short hour."

Later, Elsa arrived with a tray of four mugs of hot chocolate, and placed it on the table of the living room under Eydis' happy gaze, to whom she ruffled the hair after a hug. She understood by her sister's absence that she still was enjoying her bath. She realized she probably needed one as well, but couldn't tell much what she smelled like, for she was used to the musky scents of the forest. Eydis climbed on a chair, sitting on her ankles.

"Auntie? How far did you travel?"

"Oh, not far. Hitiheimr is just next to Arendelle."

"Did you see new animals? New trees?"

Elsa chuckled. "It's the same fauna and flora, sweetie. Mama and I only took less than a day on horse to come back."

Eydis' eyes twinkled at the 'fauna' and 'flora' terms, which did not escape Elsa.

"You're interested in Nature?"

The girl nodded so fast that her pigtails bounced in every way. Elsa bent to her.

"Well, you're a handiwork enthusiast, so know that the Northuldra as well as the Arendellians distinguish between trees because their woods have different properties. Some are very solid, like oak, and we use it for doors in the village, while others are light and flexible, like birch. The Northuldra cut them into staffs to fight, and the cork is used for other purposes as well."

Eydis beamed. "Teach me how! So I can saw and forge every wood in the world!"

Kristoff and Elsa giggled. "You can't forge wood, sweetie." Smiled her father. "Actually, I think we have a book about trees in the library. A big one, an encyclopedia even. I'll show it to you before sleep if you want."

"Awesome!"

She stretched out her little fingers to get her mug, and Elsa took it for her, squeezing the handle to cool it down with magic and avoid Eydis to burn her hasty tongue.

While she gulped down her chocolate, Kristoff asked Elsa how the council went. She went into details to explain at best everything that had happened from beginning to end, including Anna's decisions and the fact Mattias stayed in the neighbor kingdom. Elsa was very biased and very flattering about Anna's qualities as Queen, but the blond simply stared at her with a little smile as she rambled.

When she finally finished, she caught her breathing, and looked at the tray.

"Enjoy your hot chocolates while they still are. I'm gonna bring Anna her mug. She deserves to have it delivered to her bath after such an amazing performance."

Kristoff couldn't agree more, and he watched her go up the stairs. At the corner of his eye, he could see Eydis have a little devil expression. She followed her aunt with slow steps, and he eye-rolled when he understood that she was still in her play mood.

The young princess gave a peek at a corner of the corridor, and watched carefully as Elsa knocked to the bathroom's door with a smile.

"Anna, I brought you your hot chocolate. May I enter?"

The redhead let out a joyful exclamation, that the door couldn't possibly muffle.

"Sure! Come in! I don't mind, and there's too much steam to see anything anyway."

Eydis grinned as she saw Elsa enter, and before she was about to close the door behind her, she ran all she could.

The blonde barely had the time to put the mug near the sink that Eydis suddenly barged in with a loud "BOO!". It was a good thing that she didn't have the hot beverage in her hand anymore, because the Snow Queen jumped high at the spook.

"Eydis! You scared me so much!" Laughed Elsa, and she laughed even more when she heard Eydis' childish laugh.

They went into a giggle together, and Elsa tickled her.

"I have to admit, that was a good one." She said, catching her breathing. "The timing was almost ideal. One second earlier, and I would have dropped the mug. You truly are your mother's daughter. Right, Anna?"

"Uh... Elsa...?"

They both looked over to where Anna was. The steam had completely disappeared from the room. Which made it very easy to see what was happening, and Elsa's blood froze in her veins as she realized that, as well, the temperature of the room had dropped drastically.

"H-help?"

Anna's teeth were shattering and her mouth exhaling smoke as she looked down at her naked body trapped in ice from her collarbones to her feet.

"P-please? Quick?"

"Oh my gods, _Anna!_ "

Eydis' jaw dropped. She stood still by the door, and could only watch as her aunt ran to the bath. Hopefully, it wasn't really awkward, for the ice was blur and covered with the Spirits unity symbol signature, so she didn't see much of Anna's naked body underneath.

"Are you okay?" Panicked Elsa, even if she knew the answer.

"I'm obviously stuck and freezing right now, so if you could do something..." Grumbled Anna.

Elsa knelt and slammed her hand on the surface of the ice.

The ice melted in a second, but the stage of the water also changed its density, and Anna slipped with a yelp to the bottom of the bath. Elsa had good reflexes and instantly grabbed Anna under her arms to prevent her from inhaling water through her nose, then used the gesture to take her out of the bath, helping her numb body to step out.

"Thank you." Managed to utter Anna between two ragged breaths.

Elsa urged to grab a towel from the hanger, and enveloped Anna in it like a crêpe. It also was to give her some privacy, for her wet hair couldn't cover her breasts enough.

Anna was holding herself to her shoulders, and shivering from the sudden temperature change, so Elsa frantically rubbed her arms and legs over the towel to give her some friction and heat.

"Are you feeling better?"

The redhead nodded. "Yeah. Yeah, thank you."

"I'm so, so sorry, Anna, truly, I didn't—"

"Do it on purpose." Finished her younger, comprehensive. "It's okay. Of course you didn't."

Elsa still had her face paralyzed from the fearful moment. Anna placed a soft hand on her, and she thought.

"So it happened again... Your sort of... Power boost. Does it happen when you're happy? Cause it was right after your giggle with Eydis. However, I'm not really happy right now." Mumbled Anna, her teeth still shattering.

Elsa felt devastated, her joy from a few seconds earlier now entirely replaced by pure guilt. She hated to see Anna suffering from the cold, especially when it was from her magic. This was one of the top 'to absolutely avoid' situations.

"Hold on. Let me reach for your..."

She took an arm out of the hug to get the mug, but could tell by the sensation in her hand and the missing steam above it that it had lost its main property.

"Oh no, your hot chocolate is cold now. It must have frozen as well, then melted, but..."

"It's okay, Elsa. Relax. I'm alright." Assured Anna, knowing by heart her first symptoms of an anxiety attack.

She dove her eyes in hers, and Elsa eventually calmed down. She detached her azure blue irises with a smile, putting the mug back where it was. As she did, she noticed that Eydis was still standing near the entrance of the bathroom, and looking at them with a confused expression, but one could see on her face the firm sensation that she was guilty for everything that had happened.

Elsa could recognize it easily. Her niece had as much physical features from her mother than her father, yet that sad pout was definitely the same than when Anna was a child.

"Hey, Eydis. Come here. This is not your fault, you know that?"

The little princess nodded without much conviction. She stepped forward, unsure.

"You scared me, and I scared Anna." Explained Elsa. "This is a domino effect. Or butterfly effect. None of us is truly the one to blame."

Anna smiled above her towel, happy to see that her sister didn't have much the habit of self-guilt anymore, and that a simple stare into her eyes had managed to move it away. Elsa even didn't fear skin-to-skin contact after an accident, because she now reached for Eydis' hand to join them.

"Come on. Let's hug to give her some heat, uhm?"

The girl finally smiled, and closed her eyes as she tackled the two women in a strong embrace. They closed their eyes as well. Elsa could feel Anna's skin returning to normal from the cheek against her neck.

"I prefer 'butterfly' than 'domino'. It's more pretty." Murmured Eydis, her voice masked by the towel.

They all giggled.

"I'll make you another hot chocolate." Promised Elsa, holding her sister tight.

* * *

Later in the afternoon, Eydis came in Anna's study running at full speed, and tugged one of Elsa's trains, so much that the ice fabric was nearly ripping.

"Auntie! Auntie! I just finished my lesson, can you make it snow in the hall's stairs so we can sled?"

The sisters blinked at the girl's sudden intrusion, cutting them in their discussion, but Elsa melted at her request.

"Did you finish your homework?" Teased Elsa.

"I have!" Promised her niece, and she raised her hands, as if proving that she washed them was relevant.

The Snow Queen chuckled. "Perfect. Then go get your sled, I'm coming. Just let me finish something with Mama, okay?"

Anna waved in a dismiss gesture as she looked back at her desk.

"No, go ahead. I'll finish that paperwork and I'll join you."

Elsa frowned. "I'll help you finish."

"Don't worry, I can handle it."

"I wasn't asking." Smirked Elsa. "It's an order. Let me help you with it, so we can go sled with your daughter."

Anna hesitated between a tender sigh or an eye roll. Sometimes her elder was dramatically caring, it reached an impossible level.

"Fine. Eydis, go get Papa and ask him to search for your sled in the shed."

"Awesome!" Chirped Eydis with a jump, and she ran outside.

The blonde shook her head with a smile. "She's adorable."

Anna didn't answer, too focused on the mail she was writing. Elsa approached, sitting at the chair in front of her desk.

"So, this is mainly letters to send to the other kingdoms, right?"

The Queen nodded. She bit into a sigh. "I miss Gale."

Elsa didn't hide her sigh, however. "Yeah, me too."

Ironically, outside, the wind blew in strong gusts.

"The girls are busy, uh?" Guessed Kristoff downstairs.

Eydis nodded silently. The King turned to Kai who was making him sign delivery agreements.

"Thank you, I'll see you in an hour or two for the next ones."

The servant bowed and left.

Kristoff's attitude suddenly changed, and he turned to his daughter with a giant smile, bending and slapping his hand on his thighs.

"Who wants to go sled!?"

"Me! ME!" Exclaimed Eydis, raising her hand, though they were alone in the hall now.

* * *

They all lifted their heads with awed expressions when Elsa made it snow inside, Kristoff admiring the precision with which she aimed at the stairs only. Anna had the eternal touched smile and sparkling eyes as the snowflakes fell in her open hands, and Eydis went cross-eyed when a group of them fell on her nose. The little girl rubbed her nose to get it off, and she looked at how it soon covered the stairway in a beautiful blanket.

"Mama, how come I don't sneeze when it's Auntie's snow?"

Anna smiled and held her close. "Because it's Auntie's snow."

Eydis frowned at her. "That's not an answer."

Elsa smiled as she was waving her hands and preparing the place, listening to her niece.

The redhead passed a hand in her daughter's hair. "It's magic, sweetie. That's because it's not regular snow. When I was around your age, I called it 'tickling snow'."

Eydis let out a long 'Oooooh'. Then, a few seconds later, the playground was complete. It was so perfectly made and attractive that it was hard to resist playing immediately. Thus, Eydis and Anna shared the same excitement and hurried to go up with the sled, taking advantage of the few steps Elsa had cleverly left uncovered.

Kristoff planned to let the sisters have the first rides, and he crossed his arms, side-looking the blonde next to her.

"You couldn't help making decorations along the ramps, uh?"

"Are Anna and you going to reproach that to me _every_ _time_ I craft something?"

Kristoff shrugged. "You may be an artist, but you're also a show-off."

A handful of snow at the bottom of the stairs suddenly flew to him, slapping his face.

"Hey!"

"Oh, sorry, it's not snowball fight? I got mistaken."

Kristoff poked her as he swiped the snow off his face, but Elsa now made the snow twirled around his head. Anna's voice echoed from the top.

"Are you two done? Elsa, I'm waiting for you. Eydis wants to have the first ride with you."

"I'm coming." Grinned the Snow Queen, having pity for Kristoff and making the snow fall to the floor.

They took rounds for descents with Eydis, and had endless fun, for the snow was perfectly slippery.

After two runs, Eydis was a bit out of breath when pulling up the sled with the rope, so the sisters helped her. The little girl only had small muscles, and the sled was crafted with all of the Arendelle expertise, so with thick wood and dense metal, making it quite heavy. Anna giggled and directly took the sled in her hands then walked to the top of the stairs with her.

Elsa followed, not even bothering to use them, walking directly in the snow with her bare feet now that she had melted her ice sandals, her magic and her being one so her body wasn't even sliding. She even didn't make a single hole as she stepped, like she was barely touching the snowflakes or floating above them.

Eydis placed the sled again, and Anna looked at her elder. "Go on, it's your turn."

An idea passed Elsa's mind, and she smirked. "The sled can largely hold the three of us. Sit behind her, I'll sit behind you."

Anna found it weird, but didn't even questioned the suggestion. Sledding was way too exciting to her.

They placed as Elsa said, under Kristoff's amused gaze, and he laid against one of the pillars of the hall as he looked at them.

Elsa was the one on the back, so they waited for her to push the sled. She smiled, and bent to her sister's ear.

"Do you trust me?"

"Always." Answered Anna right away. "Why?"

The blonde twirled her hand forward and crafted an ice ramp at the bottom of the stairs, then covered it with a snow layer that connected with the snow already present on the steps. She added a huge pile of fresh powder at the end of the hall for landing.

"Wait, ELSA."

The elder didn't make Anna think more about it nor widen her eyes completely that she grabbed her waist, so the redhead stayed where she was, and pushed them all with her feet. They started to make their descent and Eydis exclaimed of joy in advance. Elsa share the same excited yell, and Anna first screamed of panic but soon of joy, especially when they passed the ramp smoothly and started to fly in the air.

They plunged in the fresh snow at the arrival with a comic 'fwomp' and jolted their heads from it with shared laughter.

"Again! Again!" Jumped Eydis, standing up then falling down in the white pillow, while Elsa and Anna still were upside down.

Anna shook her head with a puff as she got rid of the snow, and stared at her elder underneath her.

"This is not what I meant when I said that I'd go almost any place you are."

Elsa smirked, and evaporated the snow under them, so they slowly touched the floor down. "Admit it, you loved it."

"Alright, that was awesome. And to think they call me the crazy one!"

"Let's get crazy again!" Begged the little princess.

Elsa, Eydis and Anna laughed their lungs out and they rolled on the floor as they did.

Kristoff came running after witnessing their stunt from afar.

"Girls! Are you okay?"

The lack of answer despite a new wave of laughter gave him the certification that they hadn't hurt themselves, even if they were holding to their bellies as they giggled. He sighed and shook his head at how they were all close to cry tears as they wheezed.

Suddenly, the general sound of wheezing got accompanied by another sound in the air, so close that none of them perceived it at first. It was when a servant gasped loudly a few meters away that they started to stop laughing and turn to him. Now it was distinct, and Kristoff squinted as he focused to identify the noise. It was like metal was bent by force, but it seemed like it came from different places at a time...

Elsa and him understood simultaneously. In fact, Elsa also felt it in her core. They snapped their heads around and stared at the armors standing along the walls, and they noticed that they were moving, like they were crashing down slowly on their bases.

Anna helped her daughter stand up, and felt under her flats that the magic snow had gone a bit colder. Her eyes widened.

"No... It happens again..." Murmured Elsa.

She however forced herself to replace her worry by a good decision. She clenched her fists and her eyelids, focusing on making everything back to normal in the hall. When she felt the temperature returning to a regular one, and magic leaving the place, she opened her eyes. Elsa frowned nonetheless at the slight sensation that magic hadn't entirely left the castle, for some reason.

She shook her head discreetly, discarding this perception for later. With a quick stare, she checked her family members to see if they were safe, and walked to the armors, avoiding Anna's caring eyes.

Her fingers hovered the folded metal, wrinkled even at some parts, especially the arms parts and the protections over the feet. Elsa's gaze jolted from one spot to another; the helmet was completely crushed, and she gulped at how, if someone was underneath, they would be dead in this moment.

"I..."

Kristoff approached, making the same observations. He hesitated for a fraction of second, but put his hand against the back of his sister-in-law, in a warm gesture. She wasn't even cold. Elsa was more stupefied than afraid by the state of the armors.

"It's okay. Those are thin armors. I heard them creak from the cold during multiple Winters. They're old too, don't they, feisty?"

He turned to his wife. His soft tone wasn't entirely used to appease Elsa, but sincere as well. Since the sisters were little, the armors never had been changed, and only dusted and polished.

"Yes, they are." Stated Anna. "Don't worry sis, it's not that bad."

"I'll pay them back."

Elsa's suggestion surprised everyone, but Anna's laughter afterwards was even more.

"Elsa, please. Those are decorative. Also, I kept bumping over them and made them fall apart multiple times when I was a kid."

"I confirm." Said Kai, passing by.

They all smiled.

"These aren't usable armors, Your Highness." Informed the servant.

"See?" Smiled Anna, happy he intervened. "It's alright."

"You're not saying this to make me feel better?"

"I swear I'm not."

Elsa sighed, and everyone from the servants to the royals return to their occupations after taking care of discarding the armors.

Eydis couldn't help them, so she crouched to take her sled up for another ride. However, as she lifted it, only a part of the sled stayed in her hand, the rest falling on the floor in a heavy sound.

She let out a gasp, and Kristoff looked down.

"Let me have a look." He proposed in a fatherly tone.

As the sisters walked near, the King inspected the runners of the sledge, and the broken wood underneath. He sighed. "Yep, the sled is broken."

"I can replace it with ice." Suggested Elsa.

"No, wait! I can fix it!" Exclaimed Eydis, beaming. "I have the stills! I mean skills!"

"Oh my, here we go again." Sighed Anna.

"Come on, let her have fun with it." Nudged Elsa. "She's been talking about her tools for so long, this is my chance to finally do some handiwork with her."

Eydis' smile stretched so much that the blonde didn't regret this decision at all. Her niece was delighted.

As the girl hurried to go to her bedroom to get her toolkit, Kristoff eyed the Snow Queen. "I don't know if you're over-excited because you got another magic boost, but you'll see, in an hour, you'll be disillusioned."

Elsa smirked. "I doubt it. I sometimes spend an entire afternoon helping Northuldra children weaving scarves. And it requires a lot of patience."

She waved her hand to make the snow vanish in the hall, and she noticed that indeed, since she got that magic boost, she felt a bit more powerful than usual, just like the other times she had those strange impulsions. The white blanket disappeared a fraction of second faster.

In a 'clonk clonk clonk' noise, Eydis came back down the stairs with her heavy toolkit filled with instruments. When she put it down at her feet, Elsa recognized Eydis' tools, especially her wood bracket and protractor, which were beautifully carved with Arendelle's crocuses. She obviously spotted the spirit level that she had offered her several days before, and a tool she had never seen before.

"I even took my new hammer!" Said Eydis loudly.

"That's great, sweetie." Commented Anna with a smile.

The little princess took out the comically large hammer, which shaft was as thick as her forearm. They all snorted at the object, but Elsa was intrigued. The hammer was nearly as large as her torso, and yet she could lift it like it weighed nothing. It was obvious that it was made of metal and wood, like any other hammer, but in Eydis' hands, it looked like it was made of something as light as cork.

The blonde squinted. The last time she had seen such a paradox, was when she realized for the first time that her magic ice weighed nothing in her own hands, but was heavy in others'.

It wasn't the only thing she noticed about the item. A curious but undeniable feeling of magic was emanating from it. She kneeled next to her niece.

"Eydis... What is that hammer?"

"My new one! A very precious tool." Explained Eydis, already pivoting the sled to know where she should place the nails.

"No, I mean... Where did you get it from?"

"I told you the other day." Intervened Kristoff. "She probably got it from Oaken."

Elsa frowned. "No, it can't be. Unless Oaken suddenly started selling magical artefacts."

Anna widened her eyes. "Excuse me?"

The blonde passed her fingers around the hammer, not daring to touch it directly. Whether it was for prudence or out of respect, she couldn't tell. Anna noticed how fascinated she was by the object.

She crouched next to her.

"Elsa, what is it?"

The Snow Queen had a nervous chuckle. "The only word coming to my mind is 'miracle'. Look at it closer."

Anna frowned, her gaze returning to the tool. She suddenly widened her eyes as a flash came to her mind. The redhead had already seen this hammer in illustrations of books she used to read during her childhood.

"Tha- That's..."

She gulped.

"That's Mjöllnir."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> DUN DUN DUNNNNN!
> 
> Yes, that was unexpected. And a crazy twist, you may ask? Now now... Have a look at the chapters again, dearies. You'll see that I hinted Mjöllnir's presence and that it was in Eydis' possession all along... :P
> 
> Can't wait for next chapter? There's only 3 more to go! Share and comment, those are amazing. And y'all are amazing. Thank you for the support so far! Love ya!


	8. Condensation

"Be careful. It's teeming with magic, I can feel it in my core. We should all take our distances." Advised Elsa.

"We don't risk anything, relax." Smiled Anna. "Besides, this can't possibly be Mjöllnir, right? I mean... Those are stories..." She added nervously.

The others didn't know what to respond and remained silent for a few seconds.

"Yeah, it can't be." Scoffed Kristoff. "Eydis, give the hammer to Papa."

The little girl hesitated, looking down at her new tool. She stretched her arm and put the shaft in his hand. But suddenly, it was like Kristoff was handed an anvil and that it had entirely dropped in his palm.

With a yelp, he fell to the floor in a fast and heavy move, his arm twirling with the uncanny weight of the hammer which made his shoulder slam the parquet, dragging him flat down with his head knocking it as well.

"Kristoff!"

"Holy f..."

"Wow, Papa, are you okay?"

The man groaned from his posture, taking his fingers off the shaft. The hammer calmly stayed on the floor where it was, its metal part down, almost sarcastically staring at them.

"M' fine." Muttered Kristoff.

He massaged his shoulder after the twist it endured. The two sisters looked at him speechlessly, not able to decide either to laugh out loud at his fail or find the situation scary.

"What the heck was that?"

They all slowly realized that if Kristoff, a tall muscular man who had enough force to lift blocks of ice, was unable to take a hammer that a little girl was making twirl in her hand just before, then it could only mean one thing: they indeed were in the presence of Mjöllnir.

Anna slowly turned from her husband to the hammer. "Okay... I remember reading in books that it's a magic hammer, and it's impossible to lift it. Except maybe by exceptional people..."

"Those who are worthy." Recited Elsa, as she naturally had read the same books.

The redhead helped Kristoff sit up, and they now were all seating on the hall's floor around the strange object.

Elsa brushed her fingers along the metal of the hammer and the wood shaft. A vibration seemed to come out of it, and she could feel that magic was emanating from the whole object, in a similar manner than the element crystals.

She gulped in apprehension, then dared to circle her fingers around the shaft. Her azure blue eyes fixed the hammer and she tried to lift it as well.

It was an odd sensation. It both weighed nothing, feeling like a simple piece of cork, and at the same time she could feel all the magic of the universe maintaining it down to the floor with a supernatural gravity. Her fascinated expression soon turned to a frown and a clenched jaw, and she had to use both hands to lift it, leaning on her knees. Elsa used all her force, her muscles tight, but nothing much happened; Mjöllnir slightly tilted up, but then down, slipping in her hands.

She exhaled loudly, her shoulders dropped. "Never mind. This is impossible."

Anna had been mesmerized by the scene, and she blinked, then smirked. "'Impossible' is not in my vocabulary. Let me try."

Kristoff and Elsa stopped her immediately when she approached both her hands, and they each grabbed one arm. The Queen looked at them with frustration.

"What?"

"The magic." Said Elsa.

"The floor." Said Kristoff at the same time.

They looked down because his observation was new compared to Elsa's. In fact, the floor around the hammer had been cracked. Fissures distorted the wood of the parquet, and it hadn't been only due to when the hammer dropped with Kristoff's hand, but also when Elsa had lifted it and applied a pressure on the edge of the metal.

"If we keep going like this, we're going to break the whole floor."

Elsa nodded, and looked at her younger. "It also emanates a phenomenal quantity of magic. I'd prefer it if you don't touch it."

Anna puffed. "I admire your care for the castle and my health."

Her eyes went down. "There truly is no way for us to move it away?"

Eydis didn't understand where the problem was.

"Why you don't lift it? It's easy. I'm gonna show you!" Smiled the girl.

"No, Eydis!"

Anna made a barrier with her arm in front of her daughter before she could reach the hammer.

"But I wanna—"

"I know, sweetie." Came in Kristoff. "However, it's better if you don't touch it anymore. We have to be safe. Let the adults deal with it."

Eydis pouted.

"But it's _my_ hammer."

"You're right, yet—"

"Well, technically, it's not _her_ hammer, it's—"

"Don't interrupt me!"

"Then explain to your daughter that—"

"Stop!" Grumbled the little girl. "Why can't I keep it?"

Anna bent to her daughter and put a hand on her shoulder. "We're not taking it from you, love. It's just that we need to be certain that it's not dangerous first. Do you understand?"

The girl continued to pout for a moment, then nodded. "Yeah..."

"Good." Smiled the Queen, and she kissed her head, which lifted the corner of Eydis' lips for a smile too.

A silence passed.

"Now what do we do?"

"Nothing much. It's stuck here for now." Sighed Kristoff.

Elsa bent to have a better look at it. "I wonder what those runes stand for. Maybe we can get answers from them."

Anna lifted a curious eyebrow. She usually had a good sense of observation, how did she miss the ancient letters on the hammer?

"Where are they?"

Elsa scoffed. "Right here. The big engravings, all along the metal part. It's kind of obvious."

A silence followed.

"Elsa, what are you talking about?" Asked Anna.

"What engravings?" Frowned Kristoff too.

They now were bending close to Mjöllnir, not daring to touch but attentively watching. Elsa looked at them like they were idiots.

"...You two are pranking me, right? This is not really the time for jokes."

Anna stared at her elder's eyes. "...You can see runes on it?"

The Snow Queen switched between the two. "What, you don't see it? Is it because of the dim light outside? They're enormous! Right here!"

She pointed at the runes with her fingers.

To Anna's and Kristoff's eyes, there was nothing but smooth grey metal.

"There's nothing, Elsa." Murmured Anna.

"I can see them too." Intervened an innocent voice.

They all turned to the beaming child.

"Eydis...?"

The little princess dropped her elbows on her knees and put her face in her hands, admiring the hammer. "I like the decorations on it. It has pretty drawings. And those are letters, right? So I wanted to know what they are."

Elsa widened her eyes at her curiosity and cleverness. Anna widened her eyes for a different reason.

"Wait... This is why you had come to my study the other day... Is this why you asked for the runes glossary?"

"The what?"

"The book about runes." Explained Kristoff.

"Yeah! That one!"

Elsa was captivated. "Did you get to know what those inscriptions mean, then?"

Eydis pouted a bit. "No. Mama was about to bring me the book from the library, but then she talked loud with Auntie all the afternoon."

The sisters exchanged a gaze. It was indeed on the day they had argued against each other, before Anna left for Hitiheimr.

"Oh dear, I had completely forgotten... I'm so sorry."

Eydis smiled in the warm hug her mother gave her. "It's okay. I played parcheesi with Papa instead."

Anna smiled above the princess' head, her chin in her hair. She looked at her sister.

"So only you and Elsa can see them. I suppose that it's due to magic then."

"Wow, wow, wow... Wait... Is Eydis magic too? Does she have magical powers? Did I miss something?" Panicked Kristoff, his voice rising a bit.

Anna lifted her hands, parting from the hug. "No. She isn't. Right?" Her panic rose as well. "No, no no no. Can't be. Right, Elsa?"

The latter blinked. "What, I'm the judge in this? How would I know?"

Eydis had all eyes turned to her again, and she blinked with a confused expression.

Elsa frowned, then smiled and chuckled. "No, I'd have felt it."

She then realized that she couldn't really, because the magic emanating from Mjöllnir on the floor was covering the whole hall and even the whole castle with its power range, and it skewed her measurement. As she was thinking about that fact, she made a scrunching thinking face, and Anna stared at her.

"Elsa? What is it?"

The Snow Queen fidgeted with her fingers as she was lost in thoughts. "It's just... Speaking of magic... Mjöllnir's power is so big, I think I was able to feel it from the other end of the castle when Eydis had it stored in her toolkit in her room."

Kristoff snapped his fingers and pointed at her. "So _that's_ why you had all those weird behaviors!"

He quickly cleared his throat. "No, wait, I didn't mean it that way..."

Elsa smirked. "No offense taken."

"I'm talking about your magic boosts. They kind of came from nowhere, no? And yet, they only happened when you were _in_ the castle."

Anna and Elsa exchanged a stunned gaze. "He's right. I didn't happen when we were out of Arendelle."

The redhead put the pieces together. "It only was in presence of Mjöllnir."

"In the living room, in her bedroom..."

"And when you were happy."

Elsa let out an amazed smile. She then couldn't help but stare at the hammer again, like she was attracted by it. Why was this charm so familiar?

"Its power... I've never felt an object exhaling this much magic since..."

"Since what?"

Elsa winced. "Well, it's not really an object, but... Since Ahtohallan."

Anna and Kristoff stared at her.

"The last time I had this sensation was on my last visit to Ahtohallan."

"Another magic source?" Murmured her sister.

The blonde nodded. Anna was so dumbfounded that she fell back on her ankles, her shoulders slumped.

"Damn, magic is wild."

It then led to another realization. "Hold on... So that's why you said you felt like it was regenerating you. Like you were resourcing, or refreshing your magic."

Elsa's mouth dropped. "It's true. Like I said, that's the same feeling than when I step out of Ahtohallan... Every time, it gives me that feeling."

She once more passed her fingers along Mjöllnir without touching it. Anna admired her fascination.

"And the boosts happened when you were sensing the source. It refilled your magic, and you had a burst of power. You suddenly had strong reactions. Just like when I drink a lot of coffee and the energy kicks in."

Elsa snorted at her comparison. "It's the equivalent, yes." She then held her chin as she thought. "Actually, I'd say it's more like when you have a sugar rush."

"Oh, does it taste like chocolate?" Understood Anna.

"What?"

"Magic."

Elsa frowned, and gave her a sarcastic eyebrow lift. "Are you saying that I _taste_ magic when it's coming to me?"

Anna shrugged. "I don't know. You tell me. Doesn't it leave a sensation on your tongue? Or flicker in your body, like coffee or sugar?"

The Snow Queen snorted. "It's an emotion, Anna. Not something I actually have on my skin. It's like instinct, or an ancestral feeling, as old as the glacier up the Dark Sea. I just... Know it. It calls to a part of me that makes me whole."

Anna smiled fondly.

"And how did it feel when you had the first boost?"

Elsa looked down with a small smile.

"It's hard to put it in words... What did _you_ feel when you entered my ice palace for the first time?"

"Other than amazement? I don't know, it was cold, but like cool cold, I mean, cool in the awesome sense of the term. Not like, _cold_ cold."

Elsa grinned. Anna's slips when she was complimenting her magic were just precious.

"Well, the thrill, the excitement when I build it... I'd say that I experience a longer version of it when I get those magic boosts."

"So is it like, a sugar rush that you get after eating a treat you love, or after discovering a treat you never tried before?"

"Girls, can we please get back to it?" Laughed Kristoff as they rambled.

"Sorry." Echoed the two sisters.

He eyerolled, and bent to Mjöllnir. "I wouldn't be surprised that it's a magic source. It's a legendary hammer, after all."

Anna remembered the tales she used to read during Elsa's isolation. As far as she recalled, only one being was able to hold it...

"Then... Why does Eydis have it in her possession?"

Kristoff then realized that, too fascinated by the hammer, they had forgotten to ask again for a crucial question.

"Eydis... Did you find this hammer, or someone gave it to you?"

"It was offered to me!" Smiled the girl, happy to help.

Anna dove her teal blue eyes in hers. "Eydis, this is really important... Who gave it to you? And when?"

"A Giant! Last summer."

Elsa's brain cogs turned quickly. "You mean, the first time you met the Earth Spirit in the Forest?"

"Yes!" Chirped her niece.

The Snow Queen looked down as she mumbled. "I remember that they had felt pride to know her, because they saw great capacities in her. They said... I mean, they conveyed... That she would grow to deserve all the trust of the Spirits..."

Anna took that in, and murmured as well. "That Eydis would become... Worthy?"

Too impressed to actually confirm that out loud, Elsa nodded. Eydis looked at them with adorable blinking eyes, only wondering why they all turned to her again, and also when would dinner be served.

"So... The Giant handed it to you?" Asked the Queen.

The girl shrugged. "Yeah."

Anna was stunned. "And they were holding it? And then you held it as well? Just like that?"

Eydis frowned. "What? Like it's hard?"

The redhead scoffed a laughter, both nervous and proud. Eydis once more got confused by a new sudden hug from her.

"My baby girl... You'll never cease to amaze me."

She smiled in her embrace despite being lost about the situation.

"Which Giant was it?" Wondered Elsa.

"Maybe we should stop with the questions..." Gently advised Kristoff.

His daughter however was happy to answer. "A big one!"

That gave the Snow Queen an interesting clue. "Was it the biggest one you saw during your whole stay?"

"I dunno." Murmured Eydis.

Elsa couldn't blame her. With their hive mind, the Earth Spirit was composed of numerous Giants, and it was possible that she hadn't seen them all.

"What did they look like?"

"It was made or rocks."

Anna giggled above her daughter's head. Elsa had to restrain a giggle too.

"I meant physically. Did they have, for example, a big nose, or a long chin, or very large shoulders?"

"A square body!"

"A square?" Repeated Kristoff.

"Yes, perfect square!"

Eydis' recent passion for geometry and handiwork allowed them to make sure that she was saying the truth. Elsa grinned.

"That narrows it to three possible Giants."

She counted on her fingers. "Tetra, Ruckus, and Thwomp."

" _Thwomp?_ " Repeated Kristoff, taken aback. "Wait, did you name the Giants?"

Anna grinned. "I'd love to have that conversation now, but we'll save it for later."

As Elsa eyerolled, her gaze passed by the window, and she saw an intriguing change in the weather outside. The wind had calmed down, yet it wasn't replaced by rain.

"What the..."

"Your Highnesses?" Echoed Kai's voice in the hall. "Why are the four of you kneeling on the floor like this?"

They all turned to the servant who had stepped back into the room after discarding the broken armors with the rest of the staff.

"We're talking about my hammer, Kai!" Exclaimed Eydis.

"Oh, really?" Smiled the man, happy to see her enthusiasm about her tools. "Which one?"

"This one!"

She grabbed the shaft of Mjöllnir and, not thinking about the consequences of her actions like any child, she naturally lifted the hammer in one quick move and high up so that Kai could see it from the other end of the room.

Anna, Elsa and Kristoff hadn't finished screaming and flipping around that an enormous lightning bolt erupted from Mjöllnir, jolting to the ceiling and exploding the roof vertically in a hole. It sent tiles flying in the air above the castle, and the lightning reached the sky in a direct line.

The bright light invaded the room, its flash reflecting on Eydis and Kai's surprised wide eyes, and underlining the others' terrified expressions. The strike disappeared as fast as it emerged, but all, in that short moment, had different reactions.

Kristoff jumped out of dread and fell to the floor on his elbows; Elsa stood still, transfixed by the sheer power of magic that had escaped from the hammer, similar to one of her outbursts; Anna screamed and ran with all her might to grab her daughter and hold her close as she rolled on the floor with the girl in her arms, to prevent her from getting hurt by the falling pieces of the ceiling.

Soon, Kristoff and Elsa shook out of their stupor and ran to Eydis to check her state, for it really had looked like she got electrocuted. The princess was alright, despite being stunned by the crazy situation.

Outside, thunder started to rumble. Other typical cracking noises snapped above their heads in the sky, reverberating in trembling sounds which were so strong that the windows of the halls vibrated.

Eydis whimpered in Anna's arms as Mjöllnir, still in her hands, started to shake. She gasped and released it, yet actually didn't have much choice as it suddenly slipped off her fingers and flew up to the sky as swiftly as an arrow, and the girl watched it dash away with wide eyes.

Anna held her closer, and everyone stared at the sky through the hole in the roof where the magic hammer suddenly had disappeared.

A flash of light appeared in the sky, and they winced. Something seemed to descend, and Elsa realized with horror that it was going down very, very fast.

"Everyone, step away!"

When they all looked at her instead of moving, she yelled with force.

"STEP AWAY, _NOW!_ "

They all stumbled from where they were, the Queen urging to stand up and run as far as possible from under the hole, Eydis in her arms.

It was just in time, for one second later, something heavy smashed down and exploded the parquet, splitting it and sending bits around. They all yelped in terror at the deafening sound it made, and they protected their eyes from the splinters and pieces of beams and tiles that had fell along and shattered on the floor.

The entire hall was filled with dust, and wood squeaked still as the thunder continued to rumble outside.

Kristoff put his arm down after shielding himself from the floating dust, and squinted. Whatever had landed wasn't something, but someone.

A very tall, very muscular man, with long blond hair braided at parts, and a beard that reached the torso part of his shining armor, straightened up. He was covered from shoulders to toes with plaques of dark grey metal, and had a crimson red long cape which floated behind him after the move of his impact to the floor.

Elsa watched as well, stunned by the presence of the stranger. The storm had been replaced by flashing thunder, and it lit the man's armor in a bright way, which gave him a sort of magical aura. Unless he actually had one...

The man chuckled a bit, and dusted its armor and belt. He sheathed Mjöllnir there in a leather loop that seemed tailor-made for the shaft, and looked at the people present in the room.

"Hello everyone. Let's make the presentations. I guess that you know me already, but I prefer to make things polite. I'm Thor."

He waved, and everyone stared at him, paralyzed by his arrival. He smiled widely.

"Nice to meet you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guess who's joining the partyyyyy!
> 
> Let's get mythological, y'all. (Oh and don't worry it won't be heavy, I intend to make that encounter just as funny in Marvel's style.)
> 
> 2 chapters to go, and the next one will make you laugh!
> 
> Cheers - oh and don't forget to comment and share! :D


	9. Love and thunder

"Sorry for the mess." Said the man.

He approached.

"Uhm... My apologies, but I can't see much of your faces behind that blur barrier... Would you please put it down?"

Anna frowned from the other side of the ice shield that her sister had briskly raised to protect her family and Kai from his potential threat.

"This barrier is protecting us, stranger. Who are you and how did you suddenly fall from the sky?" Asked the Queen.

Elsa, her left arm stretched forward to strengthen her shield if needed and her right arm placing the others behind in a protecting gesture, squinted at him. She turned to her younger, whispering.

"He's magical. I can feel it. Mjöllnir may be a magical source, but this man also has magic in him."

Anna nodded at this information, but still stared at the stranger. He hadn't stopped walking forward.

"Stay where you are!" Groaned Anna.

He lifted his bushy blond eyebrows. "I thought you wanted me to introduce myself."

"I don't take any chances." Stated Anna with a regal tone that filled Elsa's heart with pride, but the elder kept focusing on the barrier. "You certainly alarmed everyone in the castle with your abrupt arrival. My guards will be there any moment now."

The man smiled, analyzing her words. " _Your_ guards? Oh, so you're the Queen."

To everyone's surprise, he shook his cape back and bowed slightly, showing his respect. "Your Majesty. Sorry for the intrusion, again."

It was odd to hear coming from the one person in the room who competed with Elsa in terms of radiant aura. Also, the man was fit enough to crush their skulls with his bare hands, and the blonde couldn't help but admire the armor he was wearing, seemingly tailor-made. Elsa stared at it mindfully. She has got an eye for recognizing fabrics and materials since she helped the Northuldra create their own clothes from natural sources, and whatever grey alloy he was wearing, it was not from this world. Was it from divine range?

That's this curiosity which made her flick her hand and slowly melt the ice shield, to get a closer look, also allowing the man to see them completely and show that she trusted him.

Several gasps resounded from her side.

"Elsa, what the heck are you doing?!" Muttered Anna rapidly, her panicked eyes darting to her.

"He won't harm us."

"Excuse me to doubt about that, but he has a magic hammer and the attitude of a warrior." Whispered Kristoff fast as well, bending to his sister-in-law as well.

"Uhm... I can hear you. I am standing right here." Coughed politely the intruder, and he had a soft smile as he stood where he was, which indeed happened to be a few meters in front of them.

The hall wasn't that big, and anything they would say would be heard by him. In that setting, they remained quiet, mouths closed. Anna had her jaw clenched as she held a timid Eydis close to her leg, Kristoff was gulping with an unsafe expression, yet unlike them, Elsa was displaying a large smile.

She walked to the man, and Anna widened her eyes at her sister's move.

"I know you don't have aggressive intentions. I can tell. I can sense it." Smiled Elsa, with an undeniable fascination in her voice.

She was mesmerized by the energy the stranger exhaled, mainly because she had never met another magical being with a human appearance.

The man winked, sharing her smile.

"And you must be the magic sister."

Elsa's eyes widened.

"Veðr and Lo̧gr talked about you. You're exactly as they described!" He jolted.

The Snow Queen's expression changed completely. Her eyes started to prick, even though she was trying to keep a virtuous presence and attitude. Her mouth opened, her bottom lip slightly trembling.

"What did he just say?" Murmured Kristoff to his wife, seeing how it affected Elsa.

"Wind and Water..." Translated Anna from old Norse. "He... He's talking about the Spirits."

"Gale and Nokk?" Said Elsa in a disbelief voice, her breathing speeding up.

She gasped of relief. They were alright. And... They talked to him?

"You're familiar with them?" She asked with a tearful smile, like she had just met someone who would give good news about friends she hadn't seen in a long time.

"Of course I am. We spent the last days... Say... Together. Not in the way I'd have like it to be, but yeah, we definitely know each other." Chuckled the stranger.

Anna saw in his words a strategy to have Elsa by his side. And she wouldn't allow that. If her elder, who also was a powerful asset, started to be in the enemy's camp, then they were doomed.

"Stop talking to her." Hissed the Queen. "Tell us who you are and what is your business here."

He was a bit annoyed by this repetition, but accepted. "I am Thor. Son of Odin. God of thunder."

Kai stared at him like he was a dead man. Fooling around like this? He wouldn't have long to live if he kidded Anna like this. His eyes flicked to his monarch, and saw that indeed, Anna had twitched. This stranger had given a fright to her daughter with his arrival, but was also declaring himself as a threat to Arendelle. She gritted her teeth.

"I have no time playing games. Who. Are. You."

He chuckled at her insistence. And it drove the redhead even more angry.

"STATE YOUR IDENTITY!" Yelled the Queen.

As if on cue, a group of soldiers arrived in the room, on Kai's side. They all quickly caught up with the situation and placed themselves between the intruder and the rest of them with their shields up and swords turned to the man, in a way similar to the soldiers in the Forest 11 years ago, which Elsa noted and wasn't a fan of. She would have told Anna if the latter wasn't busy sending all her rage through her teal blue eyes.

The stranger wondered if he made them all deaf with his impact. He stated once again:

"Folks, I am Thor."

Anna clenched her fists. "Okay, I don't have this kind of patience. Sir, you're trespassing. GUARDS!"

A rattle of armed soldiers spread further in the hall, and circled the stranger.

"No, wait, Anna..." Murmured Elsa, but her younger didn't care.

"Soldiers..." She started to announce, her voice firm.

The blonde realized she had to act very fast. "Stop! Lower your weapons!"

The soldiers obeyed instantly. Elsa may had moved away since 11 years, she still had royal blood, and they put their swords down at her insisting order.

"They will be of no use anyway." Informed the man. "You hardly can stop me."

Elsa frowned, stepping forward between two guards. "I'm willing to take the challenge."

He saw the spark in her eyes, and scoffed. "Don't raise your anger. Trust me, I'm not someone you want to mess with."

Elsa's stare was still determined. "And _trust me_ , I'm not someone you want to mess with either."

Anna grinned, a bit evilly. "Yep, she is. So you better tell us right now who you truly are and what your intentions are, and maybe I'll not put you into jail for that dangerous intrusion."

He sighed discreetly. "When I said that you hardly can stop me, I meant because I am a god and these soldiers are mere humans. It would be better not to try."

"Stop it, stranger." Grunted Kristoff, his usual soft voice switching to the one of a King who now was annoyed. "Tell us the truth. Where the hell do you come from?"

"Not hell, actually. Ásgard." Specified the man.

A silence followed, so he pointed at the ceiling. "A land from above, in... Another dimension, if we can call it that way. It's, uhm... So, see, there's the world of gods and the world of humans... Dang, it will take a long time explaining this. Heimdallr must be dead laughing as we speak."

Anna was utterly done with his nonsense. She pushed a soldier aside and bent to Eydis' toolkit, grabbing her spirit level. It was long, made of metal and heavy enough to be used as a weapon. Would it have an effect on the beefy man or not, she didn't care. She really wanted to hit him, that was for sure.

Her fingers clenched the metal bar. "I'm going to ask you _one more time_."

"I'm not a menace." He assured, raising his hands, eyeing the way she was ready to get aggressive.

"You just exploded the roof of my castle!" Yelled Anna.

His flicked one of his hands to point. "No, actually, your daughter did. I just descended through it."

Anna's eyes were on fire now. She dashed forward. The Arendelle soldiers and Kristoff ran to stop her, but she was already lifting the spirit level to slap him.

"Wow, wow! Okay! You want a proof? I'll give you one!" He said, widening his eyes, and Elsa wondered in that split second if he actually was scared of Anna.

He gripped the shaft of his hammer before the redhead reached him, and threw it in the sky. An immense lightning bolt jolted between the clouds, shedding a flash on all of them, and a vociferous thunder echoed right after, making the whole place tremble. Kristoff held Eydis close, thinking she would be terrified, but in fact, she was admiring the power of the man.

A silence followed the crack in the sky, and a slight sound of metal resonating came to their ears. Whistling in the air, Mjöllnir went down, seemingly attracted by the man's stretched hand. It perfectly landed in his palm, and he twirled it before putting it back in the leather loop at his waist.

"Odin's name." Muttered Anna after a long stillness.

"That you can say." Winked the stranger.

It was however no stranger. For everyone in the room had been told legends about the person standing in front of them. He was no human. He was a god. The god of thunder was standing in Arendelle's hall.

"Thor." Murmured Elsa, a smile stretching her lips.

* * *

"This got to be the weirdest thing that has ever happened to Arendelle in its entire history." Muttered Anna.

She had placed the spirit level back inside the toolkit, asked the guards to lower their weapons, and was now passing a nervous hand in her long red hair, tucking it behind her ear.

Kristoff could see the nervousness of his wife, and smiled with humor.

"Really? Because I quite remember Elsa once turning the whole kingdom to Winter during the month of July."

Thor smiled. "Oh, you gave names to the frost giants? That's funny. We often to the same with Sif."

"What?"

"'Elsa'. It's an odd name for a being with such a power, though." Judged the god.

"No... _That's_ Elsa." Said Anna, pointing at her elder.

The blonde smiled and waved from where she was standing.

"Ohhh. Yeah, right. The Fifth Spirit. The Snow Queen. The others mentioned everything but your name, actually."

Elsa grinned, a bit flustered. Hearing her appellations from the god's mouth felt like she belonged to eternal tales and legends. And indeed, the Spirits actually never called her by her name. They reached to her with a specific emotion.

"And how did you even arrive from the sky?" Questioned Kristoff.

The god turned to him.

"I traveled to your world on a chariot pulled by two goats."

A silence followed. He then suddenly burst of laughter.

"Just kidding! I came down using Mjöllnir. I mean, come on, this is the 19th century. One flick of the hammer and it's done."

A new silence followed, and everyone in the room was stunned by the situation.

"I missed this dear one." He smiled, tapping the hammer at his waist. As he did, tiny sparkles of thunder passed between his fingers and the metal.

"Thank you for keeping an eye on it all that time, tiny worthy fella." He added, winking at Eydis.

The princess was still timid at the encounter, and had a small smile.

Anna eyed the man with anger. "Don't talk to her like that. Don't even speak to her directly."

"Anna, it's alright." Whispered Elsa.

"But I am grateful, for real." Promised the god, looking back at the girl. "It's the lightning bolt you sent that allowed me to get free from the Spirits' barrier. So thanks, lad."

"The Spirits' barrier?" Frowned Elsa.

"Kind of like the one you did." He said, and pointed at the spot where the blonde's ice shield had been erected earlier. "Only, this one was made by two magical beings, and it stood for _days_."

He insisted on that last word, like he was exhausted from being stopped by it. Or rather...

"Did you fight it?" Understood Elsa, her eyes widened. "Did you try to pass through the Spirits?"

The stranger snorted, like it was obvious, his hands on his hips, the armor on his forearms gleaming. "Naturally. No fight is big enough to retrieve my hammer."

Everything fitted together in Elsa's mind, so perfectly that she could almost hear a strong 'CLICK' in her head.

"The storm. That's why. That's _why!_ "

They all turned to her, confused. She was beaming like someone who solved an old riddle.

"During all those days, the Water and Wind Spirits haven't stopped trying to push you back, is that right?"

"Yes." Simply answered the man.

"And they put all their magical energy in it, undiminished, reckless?" She asked then, remembering all the emotions she had felt from her fellow Spirits when she meditated and tried to call or mentally reach to them.

"Oh, they really were." Scoffed the stranger, for he had both hated their dedication and admired it.

Elsa turned to her family with a victorious smile, but they were still lost.

"The storm didn't happen because Nokk and Gale were furious at each other... But because they were furious at _him!_ "

She pointed at the man, and it was a bit rude, though no offense was taken. Elsa continued on her explanation under their confused blinks, using exaggerated moves of her hands.

"I could feel they were doing all they could... But it was against a common enemy. They acted like a... A horizontal barrier that would reinforce the limit between the world of gods and the world of humans!"

She now had a giant smile. "Guys... They were protecting us all along! The heavy clouds of the storm... They were here to prevent him to get through."

Her breathing calmed down a bit as she lowered her eyes with a captivated smile. "Since the beginning... Nokk and Gale were saving the human world from him."

There was a blank, and Anna approached her.

"Wait, Elsa... This is too much information. I think you're going too far."

The Snow Queen seized her hands, and the redhead yelped of surprise. "No, I'm right! Everything suddenly makes sense!"

"...To you..." Underlined Anna, telling her that she was the only one to understand herself in that moment.

Elsa's hold in her hands went softer, warmer, and she kept her grip. "Listen."

Her voice was calmer too, and the younger could see in her azure blue eyes that she was serious, and not theorizing in a crazy way. It was like she had the answer all that time in her subconscious, and only grasped it then.

"Thor was enraging from the loss of his hammer, and so he was threatening to arrive in our world and run riot. His plan was to fight the Earth Spirit to retrieve it! And as we always – I mean, we Spirits – got the other's backs, Nokk and Gale united to block his way."

The redhead gasped.

"And then when Eydis lifted Mjöllnir and created a bolt, he saw that the hammer was here now." She finished, nodding.

Anna started to believe her sister, slowly but surely. Her eyes were filling with care and love, like every time Elsa explained something about magic that didn't make any sense, but she could tell by instinct that her sister was telling the truth.

"...Okay." Smiled tenderly the younger.

Elsa smiled back, touched by her trust. Something was however missing.

"But..." She murmured, turning to the god. "Why did you lose Mjöllnir? How did it get in Ruckus' possession?"

Thor lifted his eyebrows.

"Oh, you call him Ruckus? I call him Thrym. He goes by many names, though. Big-head-giant works as well."

"He's the tallest of all the Giants composing the Earth Spirit." Stated Elsa. "He's so big that he's the size of a small mountain, and the Northuldra mistook him for one during many years."

All gazes were turned to her, so she kept going.

"Because of his size, they call him 'King of the Giants'. But that's because they don't know his full personality. Which I sense." Grinned Elsa. "He seems peaceful and sleepy on first glance – once again, the Northuldra thought he was a stoic mountain – but he's in fact a real prankster. I'm not surprised that he stole Thor's hammer."

She couldn't believe she actually had said that sentence out loud, and judging by her sister's expression, she couldn't believe her elder had stated that either. Yes, they were seriously and literally talking about Thor's hammer.

"The king of the giants..." Repeated Anna. "Jötunn...?"

She scoffed at the way they now all looked at her. "What? Elsa may know each and every Giant of the Earth Spirit, I happen to read a lot of books."

She then smirked to Thor. "And I remember reading that as he's the tallest of giants, he's often hit by thunder. Knowing his character now, I'd say that he wanted to get his revenge, and that's why he stole your hammer."

The god had a big laughter. "Those bloody giants! It's always fun to have them as enemies."

The others lifted concerned eyebrows. Do gods realize that their fight games reach a scale that can be destructive and mortal to humans?

Nevertheless, Thor seemed to have become reasonable, and he had warmth in his eyes.

"You stated earlier that Water and Wind were there to stop my rage." He said to Elsa, then his eyes turned to Eydis. "Well, now that I know the kindness of this Mjöllnir holder, I'm feeling much better and I know there was no reason for me to get mad in the first place."

"All the better." Muttered Anna.

Eydis lifted her eyes to her. Elsa stared at her sister. Did Anna say that because she was happy to avoid a disaster? Or was it because she would be the origin of said disaster if Thor was planning to hurt her daughter?

"You seem nervous about my presence." Noted the god, whose great age sometimes brought wisdom.

Anna burst. "Of course I am! You are a _god!_ You're not even... Supposed... To be here!"

She jolted nervously, her arms wagging around.

"What?" Scoffed Thor. "Gods can't walk the human realm? Your sister is standing right next to you."

Anna looked at Elsa, also intrigued, and back at Thor. "That... It's... Completely out of the topic! It's... Wait, what? Are you saying that Elsa is a goddess?"

"Why yes. Someone who can master elements certainly is a goddess."

The blonde blabbered, her cheeks flushed. "I'm not a goddess. I barely control ice and snow, it's not that amazing..."

They gave her sarcastic stares, and she blushed even more. "...What?"

Kristoff snorted at her modesty. "Yeah, not that amazing. And Anna barely controls the biggest kingdom of the country. No big deal, you two sisters, really."

They looked at each other, and had a bashful smile. Thor clapped his hands excitedly.

"May I say that I love this? Strong women. Big fan. There should be more powerful humans who are women. Or identify as such."

He smiled, beaming, then raised his fist. "Women! Yaaay!"

They were dumbfounded, and his eyes laid on the Snow Queen. He approached her, now standing close, though Elsa didn't mind. Her personal space didn't feel intruded by someone with such magic and intentions.

"Wind told me that you had recharges, lately?" Smirked Thor, representing her magic boost with a spark of thunder between his hands.

Elsa scoffed. She could easily picture Gale being a real snitch. It was in their nature, after all, and quite literally. Just like the news spread through wind, the Spirit's curiosity often betrayed Elsa in moments when she wanted to surprise Anna.

"They've been watching me all that time, uh?" Smirked the Snow Queen. "Yes, I have."

"I don't know much about human science, but... I guess that it was due to a mix of magic and magnetism from the storm, right?" Tried Thor.

Elsa had a giggle, which she politely masked as a cough. Far be it from her to disrespect the god. "Not exactly. It's Mjöllnir which gave me this energy, jolting every time I felt very happy. It allowed me to have stronger magic, to materialize my dreams... It's truly incredible."

"You're preaching to the choir." Grinned the god.

Suddenly, Elsa remembered an earlier part of the conversation.

"Wait... _Told_ you?" She repeated. "You can talk to the Spirits?"

Thor tilted his head. "Nah, not really. It's more like..."

He searched how to explain it in words.

"...Like you can feel their emotions." Helped Elsa, smiling.

The god snapped his fingers. "Yes! Exactly. And I didn't truly need them to form a full sentence, I could get what they meant."

Elsa was positively beaming. At last, she met someone who could understand her. Not that she thought she was crazy, far from it, for she knew that it's how the Spirits communicate between them, but to know that every person with magic could to the same alleviated her in a way. Maybe it was because she now had the proof that she didn't have the exclusivity to hear them, which she felt a bit guilty of over the years when she had to do translations to Honeymaren and so many other people. It's not that the Spirits always refused to talk with non-magic persons, it's just that they lacked a sixth sense that allowed to feel their language.

The Snow Queen kept smiling, and Anna eyed them from where she was. She couldn't believe the happy relationship that was building in front of her eyes. Was her sister casually talking with the actual god of thunder?

"Papa... Who's the big mister?" Whispered Eydis, finally talking, and taking advantage of him being distracted by Elsa to tug on the pants of her father and ask.

"Uh... That's... That's Thor, sweetie." Gulped Kristoff.

"Thor? But Thor is in books!"

The god snapped his head to her, and she jumped of surprise. She wasn't scared much, but his aura was impressive. He smiled widely.

"Oh, I certainly am in books!" Exclaimed the massive man. "All over the lands, little one! The tales of my mighty quests and epic fights have transcended space and time!" He said with a roaring laughter.

"Woaaaaah." Admired Eydis, stars in her eyes.

Anna coughed. "Elsa, can I talk to you, please? Alone?"

The blonde smiled. "Sure."

They went in a corner behind the guards.

"What do you think?" Asked the Queen.

"What do you mean?"

Anna eyed the god.

"How to know that we're not hallucinating? That it's not a magic trip? A magic _trick?_ "

"Why ask me?" Puffed Elsa.

"You're the only one around who knows about magic!"

"You can ask Kristoff. He was raised by trolls." Grinned the Snow Queen.

"Elsa! I'm serious. Please, give me your advice."

A pause.

"I need my _sister's_ advice."

Elsa's sarcastic expression faded away. Her face got thoughtful.

"I don't feel any magic affecting us. This is not an illusion. This is Thor, Anna, I can tell. As insane as it is, we're not in a dream."

She held her hand, squeezing it to ensure that she was really there. Elsa then noticed that Anna was trembling slightly.

"Anna?" She frowned. "Are you alright?"

The Queen's breathing was hitched, and she only realized it then. Until now, she had been mesmerized by the regal attitude she had, to not appear weak to the soldiers and servants in the room, but Elsa understood that it was all a facade. Anna hadn't stopped being shocked since the explosion.

"I... I..." She blabbered, her voice weak.

The blonde quickly got closer, holding her shoulders. "Hey. It's okay. Deep breaths. Take deep breaths."

The younger did as advised, and she took long respirations, even if they were shaky.

"Shhhh..." Calmed Elsa, seeing the way Anna's eyes darted away to avoid crying.

Elsa made sure that no one was watching. Nobody could, because they were behind tall guards.

"Anna, what is it?"

"What IS IT?" Exclaimed the Queen. "The god of thunder just crashed into our home!"

"I know, Anna, I know. Tell me what is on your mind. I can see that something else is weighing on you."

The redhead sighed. She didn't fully like that Elsa was able to read in her like an open book. "He's a _threat_ , Elsa. He's a threat and you're welcoming him with a big smile. Have you seen the way he landed?!"

"He was a bit extra, I have to admit." Winced Elsa. "But hey, I suppose that it rules among magic people."

"Don't try humor on me."

"And you, don't panic."

Anna pushed her. "I have _every right_ to panic! He almost killed my daughter!"

Elsa got stupefied by her sentence, and calmed her down after making sure no one heard her. "He would never do that. Trust me, he surely checked before he arrived. He means no harm towards Eydis, believe me. Quite the opposite, he keeps congratulating her. He's impressed that she's worthy of lifting Mjöllnir."

A blank passed. Elsa had a soft smile, searching for her younger's eyes to have contact.

"Aren't _you_ proud that she's worthy of lifting the hammer of legends we used to read when we were kids?"

She saw a sparkle in the redhead's eyes. "I am." She muttered with a watery chuckle. "I deeply am. But..."

"But?" Repeated Elsa.

Anna dove her teal blue eyes into hers. "I'm sorry, but you simply can't understand. I was _terrified_. Eydis could have been crushed, or burned, or electrocuted, and—"

"Of course I understand." Assured Elsa with a sad smile. "I almost lost you in a fire once."

Anna's face stiffened, then her expression softened. "Right."

Her panic calmed down a bit, but she was still stressed, and Elsa could hear how her breathing hadn't stopped being heavy. By the way Anna then opened her mouth, the elder knew that her sister was about to insist and sink into nervousness again.

"But Elsa, when I was in the fire, you were able to save me with your magic! Because of ice versus fire! But would you be able to protect someone from a lightning bolt?! And yet, you were there! What if you're not there? You won't always be there! I couldn't- I couldn't even save Eydis because I don't have magic. And this is bad! Because I'm her mother! And I'm supposed to protect her! What if it happens again and this time it's worse and she's targeted and—"

The redhead instantly interrupted her rambling when two fast and firm hands went to hold her cheeks.

"Shhhh. Anna, calm down. Breathe."

Anna gasped in uneven pants. She was so panicked that tears didn't even come, and her freckled face had gone pale because she had forgotten to inhale for a moment. Elsa's calm and deep eyes stared at her, and she exaggeratedly inhaled and exhaled, so the redhead would imitate her and relax.

The elder inspected her sister's state. She was quivering, the ghost of her fright when Eydis almost got hurt written on her face.

She obviously saw the way Anna had been inspecting her daughter's state earlier. In that moment, Elsa had been struck by the similar image of her mother bending over the body of a young Anna after she accidentally hurt her with her powers.

Elsa's heart was broken by Anna's panic attack, but she forced herself to not show any sadness on her features. She smiled to her little sister, in a soft and warm way, then when Anna blinked and finally had an even breathing, she caressed her cheeks.

The Queen melted in her care, and placed her hands on hers.

"Anna, you're the best mother there is. Eydis is forever safe with you. Never doubt of that."

"But—"

"She's alright. She doesn't have a scratch. Look at her."

Anna's eyes went to her husband and daughter, above Elsa's shoulder and behind the soldiers. They were smiling and talking with Thor, and the redhead let out a shaking sigh.

"And you and Kristoff always be there to keep an eye on her." Continued Elsa, bringing her attention back to her.

Anna gulped. After a moment, she chuckled, and she detached Elsa's hands from her face to hold them firmly. "What did I do to deserve you?"

The blonde grinned. "Trust me, I've asked myself this question way more times than you."

"Prove it." Teased Anna.

They laughed and nudged each other.

"You know, you amaze me." Complimented Elsa.

"Why?"

"I can't believe you opposed him. Anna... You rebelled against a _god_. You rebelled against the _god_ of _thunder_."

Anna smirked. "Are you sure you're not actually scared by it?"

"Honestly? Both."

They giggled again.

"Quite feisty, your wife." Commented Thor, observing the Queen from where he was.

Kristoff rubbed the back of his head. "That's the term I use, indeed."

He couldn't tell if he was astonished or aroused by Anna's early behavior towards the god. And he still was speechless at the fact he was standing in front of him.

Thor saw his awkwardness and tapped his shoulder with enough force to uproot a tree. Thankfully, the King was muscular and took the shock with a simple wincing huff.

"She has a strong character! She must be a good warrior, uh?"

Kristoff blinked. "Uhm... She surely is."

He saw Anna being tough multiple times, but Arendelle had the fortune to never been at war in his lifetime, so he couldn't fully tell.

"So you followed the light in volt to get to me?" Suddenly asked Eydis, beaming with her admirative grin.

"Lightning bolt." Corrected Kristoff, looking down at her daughter standing against his waist.

"I did!" Smiled Thor. "It led me directly to you, worthy one."

He booped her on the nose, and she giggled, but Kristoff frowned and slightly pulled his daughter away.

"Hey, don't touch her."

Thor stepped back, understanding that he crossed boundaries by how Kristoff said that through gritted teeth.

"My apologies." He coughed lightly. "You still have troubles putting trust in me, right?"

Kristoff winced. "Well, excuse me, but it's not every day that we meet gods. We don't really know how to act. Though I guess you're not evil. Elsa could have told. Therefore, I'm willing to take the risk. My wife often calls that a leap of faith. It's— What are you doing?"

He was rummaging through Eydis' tools, and the girl chuckled as he did.

"Searching for a saw. I could use it as a proof that I don't bleed as easily as you."

Kristoff blinked. "A saw?!"

"Hmm. There's none. Why doesn't your daughter have a saw?"

" _Why would we give her a saw?_ "

Eydis giggled at her father's tone. His panic led him to high intonations.

"What's wrong with it?" Frowned Thor. "My father used to offer my brother and I all sorts of swords and daggers when I was her age. A little stabbing never killed anyone."

"A little stabbing never killed— Are you insane?" Blinked the King.

He pulled Eydis closer to him and covered her ears.

"Okay, different traditions, I get it."

As the sisters joined the others to the center of the room, Anna looked at her elder with a smile.

"What makes you this happy?"

"Pardon?"

"You're beaming. I know that it's because you're a nerd and we're in the presence of a god, and also because you're a _magic_ nerd and that you're in the presence of a new magical being... But it's not all, am I right?"

Elsa smiled with a slight blush. Thus, they could both read in each other like an open book.

"I can feel them."

Anna started to frown, then smiled. "Gale and Nokk."

"Yes." Stated Elsa, and in that simple word, the emotion she had held until now went in a wave.

"How does it feel?"

Elsa sighed happily.

"Wonderful. I just... Feel so relieved and cheerful at the same time, I can't explain it."

"I easily imagine. They're not only friends, they're your counterparts, and, like, your colleagues, so it's amazing to know they're safe and at your side again."

The Snow Queen smiled. "Exactly. You're better at words than me."

Anna giggled. "You're the visual artist. I'm the novel addict. It's equality."

Her elder looked outside. "When Thor landed, I immediately got seized by the astonishing sensation that Nokk's and Gale's souls were returning to me. I could suddenly feel their energies again, their presences. It was like my ears popped."

"Do they act like an extension of your five senses?" Interpreted the Queen.  
"Sort of, yes. Now I sense them outside, and I can't wait to join them. But first things first. We need to make sure that, well..."

"That Thor the god of thunder won't unleash his power against us for keeping Mjöllnir in the castle?"

Elsa sighed. "I swear, there was no way that even on game night, we would be able to say such a sentence."

The redhead poked her playfully. When they arrived to the others' level, Anna cleared her throat, and forced herself to smile to the man. "I hope you don't mind that Eydis kind of... Stole your hammer."

Thor laughed powerfully again, and they all startled a bit at how loud it was. "Absolutely not. You know, I have boys of my own, and I plan to bequeath them Mjöllnir. If they're worthy, of course." He added with a wink to Eydis who blushed.

Anna realized that it was the moment or never to ask interesting questions that burned her tongue.

"If she's worthy, am I worthy too? I didn't get the occasion to lift it."

Thor chuckled but kept it polite.

"It doesn't work like that. Worth is not a hereditary thing."

Elsa remembered that the hammer slightly tilted up when she gave it a try, but she withdrew in her usual modesty and didn't say anything. However, it was like Thor could read her face, and he smiled.

"You two maybe have made mistakes in the past that qualify as unworthy. I can't tell how it works, it's honestly different for everyone. Even myself lost the worth to wield it after I took a bad decision."

"And then you could lift it again?" Asked Eydis with a cute child voice.

As an answer, the god took Mjöllnir off its emplacement at his waist, and made it spin in the air. It made the whistling metal sound again. "As you can see."

The sisters looked at each other, feeling guilty of every action they had done in the past which made them unworthy.

"Don't be so sad." Advised Kristoff. "Eydis did it, and it's amazing. We're all proud of you, baby."

The princess smiled with pride.

"Well, I think it's my cue!" Declared Thor, slamming his palm against the metal of the hammer. "It was a pleasure meeting you all."

He placed himself under the whole in the roof, then gently made a push gesture. "If you could just take a step back."

They did as advised, and watched.

Thor twirled the hammer in his hand, winked to Eydis, then made a large circle with his right arm, throwing it behind him and up with faster and faster moves, like he was about to throw Mjöllnir like he did earlier. Only, this time, his grip was firm on the magic hammer. The object started to whistle in the air with its metal sound, and a draft of air formed around him. Instinctively, the guards lifted their shields and protected the royal family, and Thor stared at the sky through the whole in the roof. He squinted in a focused expression, then suddenly stopped the circle of his arm and launched it upwards, still holding the hammer. He swiftly flew up the air as fast as he had come down, and all gasped at his dramatic exit.

Thor reached the clouds, and Anna and Elsa ran under the hole to see him go. He now was a tiny point in the sky, soon covered with a beam that looked like a rainbow tunnel, then he disappeared.

A murmur grew in the room as everyone processed the incredible event that had just occurred. Elsa lowered her eyes, looking at her younger who had the same jaw drop. Bright sun light passed on Anna's face, and that's when Elsa realized what changes Thor's departure had brought.

The storm had completely stopped. It now was replaced by pure, beautiful and warm rays, the sky above them in a deep blue. One could even hear the birds starting to chirp again outside, like everything was normal and a god hadn't just stepped in the castle.

The two sisters let out a sigh mixed with a gasp, then chuckled, and laughed openly together at that experience. They held to each other, and Kristoff smiled at them, holding Eydis against him as she smiled too and circled his waist with her arms.

Gerda entered the room and gasped at the sight of it. Her eyes darted from the state of the hall's destroyed ceiling to the state of every person standing there.

"What on Earth happened?"

Kai turned to her, and couldn't help but sigh.

"Even if we told you, you'd never believe us."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Imagine Dragon's 'Thunder' blasting through car speakers as I drift in the Arendelle courtyard* WHADDUP WORLD
> 
> Anyway I hope you liked this chapter, I truly never wrote Humangst before (a mix of Humor and Angst). I had fun with it, but it felt crazy to do haha
> 
> Next chapter is the last! Our story will soon conclude. I want to thank all of you for your amazing support and comments! Keep them coming! :D
> 
> and of course, as always: if you enjoy my writing style, type "Untangling the Frozen Knots book" on Google, and you'll get a 140k words fanfic on paper which is super comfy!
> 
> Cheers lads!


	10. A new wave (END)

"That was AWESOME!" Exclaimed Eydis, bouncing in joy.

Anna scoffed. "We could say that..."

Elsa turned to the people assembled in the hall while Eydis leaped around. "Is everyone alright?"

"We are, Your Highness. Thank you." Said the leader of the guards.

The blonde laughed nervously. "Thank us? For what?"

Kai approached with a grateful nod. "Your control of the situation saved us all."

The sisters looked at each other, and smiled humbly.

Elsa suddenly startled, and rushed outside, to everyone's surprise. It looked like she was running away from something, but in fact, they soon realized that she was going outside to join the awaiting Spirits of Wind and Water.

Anna grinned as she jogged behind her, then followed by Kristoff, and Eydis who just wanted to follow the joy that her parents suddenly had and thought it would be a good thing to run outside to celebrate the return of the sun.

The servants watched with a smile as they all ran through the courtyard, passing the gates which they now opened.

"Elsa, wait for me!" Giggled Anna.

She may not have a mental connection with her sister, yet she could feel how excited the blonde was.

Elsa laughed openly in the warm and sunny light of day at the thought she would soon see her fellows, and she could feel deep in her core that they were happy to see her as well.

Just as this sensation was seizing her, a sudden gust of wind twirled above her and swooped down, and something physical grabbed her.

With a gasp of surprise, and Anna and Kristoff did the same as they stopped running when the blonde was briskly propelled up in the sky, Elsa felt the Wind Spirit twirl around her and tighten on her arms with the same sensation than a hug, which the woman immediately gave back.

"Gale! I- Hey, ah ! Stop!" Chuckled Elsa, as the Spirit now poked her belly to tickle her. "I missed you two, dear."

They twisted like that for a moment, the Snow Queen laughing out loud as Gale made her turn and turn – Anna wondered how she didn't feel sick – then deposited her on the grass a bit further, a patch of green separating the castle from the fjord.

Elsa sighed of pure happiness when the Spirit made a salute circle around her, ruffling her short hair and carrying a pleasant smell as they were filled with colorful flowers and dew. A tear fell from Elsa's eye as she was overwhelmed to know that Gale was safe and sound, and the Spirit picked up the tear at her cheek to make it fly away. The blonde smiled at the cute gesture.

"Gale?" Asked Anna once she joined them, a bit timidly.

A big sensation of excitement coming from the Wind Spirit filled Elsa's heart as they hurried to the redhead, and slipped inside the sleeves of her jacket to tickle her. Anna chuckled in joy and relief, and understood Elsa's words earlier when she had said that the two were combined now that they were back.

A flower floated in front of her nose, and her eyes crossed before she picked it up.

"For me?"

Gale floated up and down as a nod.

"That's really cute. Thanks."

Elsa smiled tenderly at the scene. "They say it's to congratulate you for being an incredible Queen those past days."

Anna bit her lips as she smiled, and her eyes were glistening. "Aw... Thank you, Gale. I'm really touched."

A silence passed as the Spirit tingled, and Elsa stared as she listened.

"They would have loved to give you a better gift, but this flower was the biggest they saw on the way as they and Nokk came down from the clouds." She translated.

"It's alright, Gale. It's a really nice touch." Said Anna, stretching her hand to touch the gust.

Elsa's attention had been driven somewhere else. She had turned around, staring at the fjord. Suddenly, she ran again, rushing to the shore. Anna knew what was going to happen next. Indeed, clouds were made of wind and water, and Elsa hadn't seen her horse friend for a long while.

Kristoff finally joined them, for he had stopped running to pick up Eydis who now was in his arms.

"You're not joining her?" Asked the King, seeing that his wife was standing still.

"No, I think I'll let her have a private moment first." Smiled Anna.

While Eydis played with Gale and tried to catch them with her tiny fists, the Queen stared at how her elder had approached the water flows, now calm and serene as the storm had disappeared.

* * *

Elsa's hand hovered on the water, coming in waves on the shore and brushing her ice sandals and toes as she was crouched.

"Playing coy? Come on, you and I know you really aren't." Smirked the Snow Queen on a teasing tone.

She could sense Nokk just below the surface, and curled her finger in the water. "Come on, hop out, or I freeze the whole fjord. I've done it once, may I remind you."

A feeling coming from the Spirit then reached her heart. They were ashamed, not daring to take form. Elsa's smirk faded into a caring expression.

"Hey..." She now said on a calm and gentle voice. "It's okay. I don't blame you for what happened. If anything, it's Thor's fault. And yet it's not even fair. It's a chain of events."

The Spirit still didn't dare to go out, even if she could feel that they had listened to her. Some bubbles appeared at the surface. Elsa chuckled lightly.

"It's okay, you dramatic horsie. I swear I'm not angry at you."

She placed a hand on her heart, the other still caressing the fragile yet powerful layer of water. "Here. Can you feel it?"

A moment passed, then a magical neigh resonated through her skin from the surface and roamed her whole body. She laughed, and stood up, giving them space to emerge. Right away, a blob of water formed on the surface and grew taller and taller, soon a bit higher than Elsa's head. With a smile, she watched it turn into a mighty horse, and their glowing blue eyes hadn't detached from her.

Then they suddenly nuzzled her. Which, when the horse was entirely made of water, resulted in a big splash, as powerful as if someone had just thrown an entire bucket at her face. Spitting and coughing, Elsa then laughed, taken by surprise.

"I missed you too, buddy. But damn, really?" She rubbed her eyes, laughing even more, and cleaned her face.

She frowned and shook her head in a scolding way, and the horse neighed in a sound similar to a whale chant. Elsa passed a hand in her wet hair, yet she didn't make the water fly away from her. This was Nokk's salute, just like Gale had made her twirl in the air, and she respected it.

They exchanged a gaze, then suddenly Elsa's joyful smile turned into trembling lips, and emotion filled her soul as she launched herself forward. Nokk closed their eyes before she even wrapped her arms around their neck, sensing that she was about to cry.

Happy tears, that she had been holding since the moment she felt their energy in the castle, rolled on her cheeks. They fell into the water of the horse, floating in with a slightly different color. Just like Elsa was taking in Nokk's happiness with their splash, the Spirit was taking in Elsa's relieved tears. They stayed like this for a moment, Anna watching her from afar. She too had tears falling on her cheeks at the view, and she rubbed them as she sniffed. Kristoff gave her his handkerchief with a smile.

Elsa passed a hand along Nokk's face, and could hear their remark in her mind.

"Yeah, I know, it's been a wild week."

She had a nervous laugh. "The storm, the national meeting, and then I learned that my niece can lift Mjöllnir..."

Nokk blinked as they mentally insisted on something.

"No, don't be silly. I could only lift it a tiny bit. I'm not as worthy as her." Reacted Elsa.

The Water Spirit wanted to insist, but Anna was approaching, and their eyes widened at her presence. Just like Gale, their energy beamed happiness, and they urged to say hi. They splashed forward like one of the waves passing on the shore, and flopped heavily like a big one, splattering Anna's knees. The redhead grinned, feeling the way Nokk was seizing her legs, and she lowered her arms to return the sort of hug. However, she fell right into their trap.

With a yelp, she got pulled forward as the water retracted to the fjord in the natural move but with a magic force, and she lost her balance, stumbling down on all fours.

Elsa burst of laughter, bending in half and nearly falling in the water as well for how funny that was. Anna grumbled, shaking her body at Nokk's prank.

"Very funny. Very, very funny."

"They're happy to see you too." Laughed Elsa, catching her breath.

"Well, they're lucky it's sunny and warm now, or I'd have..."

"What? You'd have what?" Teased Elsa, and Nokk reformed next to her with the same sarcasm in their head tilt.

Anna stared at the Spirit with a frown and a pointed finger. "You know what?! Fishes pee in you! All day!"

Elsa laughed. "Come on, you know they meant that as a reunion gesture."

The redhead grumbled, but finally complied to smile, and she shrugged. "Alright, I missed you too. I guess."

"NOKKIE!" Screamed a child voice, and they turned to see the little princess run on the shore to get to them.

She hanged to the horse's neck, and Nokk bent their head to return the hug, the two women observing with tender looks.

An emotion exhaled from the Water Spirit and reached Elsa's soul. It was pure admiration for Eydis. Elsa smiled.

"Nokk is proud of what you've done with the hammer." She informed to the girl.

"Really? Thanks!"

The love and support from the horse wasn't only for Eydis, Elsa soon sensed. It was for her as well. The blonde was touched, and tears filled her eyes.

"You think so?" She answered to no sentence, and Anna understood that she was talking to Nokk.

Gale twirled around her, sending the same feeling, and Elsa blinked at the gust, her happy tears falling on her face. "Thank you, friends."

She mentally sent them all her love back, and what she felt in her mind couldn't be translated in words. The Spirits sent emotions back, all echoing in a whirlwind of 'congratulations', 'thank you', 'we're here now', 'humans are safe', and so on.

"You knew, all that time, didn't you..." Muttered Elsa, rubbing her tears. "You could sense me calling to you."

They both responded in gestures that meant yes, even to Anna's eyes, who smiled at the scene.

"And you chose to not respond to focus on Thor's power, and not endanger the human world..." Translated Elsa, her gaze passing back and forth between Gale and Nokk.

They now nodded in sadder gestures.

Anna felt bad for Elsa, knowing how alone she had felt recently. Nevertheless, the happiness that glowed from Elsa then as she put a hand on Nokk's muzzle and reached for Gale's twirls, was contagious and made her smile larger.

She let them have their moment, and joined her husband on the shore a few meters away.

Eydis played cheerfully with Nokk's waves, trying to jump over them, the magic flows teasingly splashing her. It was crazy to believe that less than a day before, she had been revealed to be worthy of lifting Mjöllnir.

"This kid is going places." Smiled Anna, looking at her with deep love.

Kristoff placed a hand around her waist.

"Of course she is. She's your daughter, feisty. Her destiny as an amazing person was all mapped out."

Anna chuckled, nudging him. "She's _our_ daughter."

The King looked down at her as she enlaced him. "Does that make her a perfect child?"

The redhead stood on her tiptoes, and kissed him on the lips. "For sure."

They stared at each other closely and tenderly.

A new radiant laughter echoed in front of them from the shore, and they turned to see Eydis now trying to climb up Nokk and slipping on the water. Elsa was giggling, and the Water Spirit seemed to have fun as well.

"Eydis, it's time to say goodbye." Announced Anna, proceeding to explain to her daughter that Elsa had duties she needed to attend to.

"Do you really have to go?" Pouted her niece, her eyes up to her idol.

"I have to, sweetie." Smiled the Snow Queen with a pinch to the heart. "The Northuldra are waiting for me. And I have an important meeting to conduct with all the Spirits in Ahtohallan."

"Then say hi to Olaf! And Marshie! And the snowgies!"

"I'll be sure to." Promised Elsa.

The little girl laughed as she ruffled her hair. Then they hugged, or at least, Eydis tackled Elsa's waist. Kristoff approached, and gave her a head sign indicating behind him as he rubbed his beard awkwardly.

"Can I talk to you?" He mouthed.

Elsa nodded, and the others didn't mind, for Gale had started to play with them.

* * *

Once they were alone, Kristoff hugged Elsa warmly.

"Take care, okay?" He said into her ear as they embraced.

Elsa was a bit taken aback by the moment, and when they parted, she stared at him with a sarcastic smile.

"Is that why you wanted to have a private moment?"

He chuckled. "No. I need your opinion."

"On what matter?"

"Did you notice mood swings lately with Anna?"

Elsa snorted. "You mean, apart from the usual? No. Well, I mean, we did have an argument the other day, but it mainly was my fault."

Her expression changed. "Why do you ask?"

Then, at Kristoff's still face, her expression changed again, with wide eyes this time. "Wait... Do you think..."

He nodded. "I noticed the same changes of behavior when she was pregnant with Eydis."

"Could she be..."

"Pregnant again. Yes. Another child. Oh my goodness. I'm so happy, but also so stressed..." He was rubbing the back of his head nervously, his other hand shaking around. "And it's always such great news for the kingdom, but also more responsibilities, and this is amazing, but also frightening, and—"

"Kristoff! It's just speculations for now. Relax." Calmed down Elsa.

She wondered if he needed a pack of ice to calm his stress. Nokk neighed in the distance, feeling the panic in Kristoff's heart.

"Hey. It's gonna be okay. Message me if you see further signs, okay?" Soothed Elsa.

Gale had obviously followed the conversation, and tingled above their heads to say they would be ready to transfer any letter.

The King eventually sighed and nodded, stretching a smile. "Thank you. For that, obviously, and for everything you've done for us recently."

The Snow Queen beamed in the sun light. "You're very welcome."

* * *

While Kristoff and Elsa were away, Eydis tugged on her mother's dress.

"Mama, will I ever be allowed to do handiwork again? Will you punish me and forbid me to use tools for all my life?"

Anna blinked in shock, and saw that her daughter was serious. She had genuine worry on her face and her normally red cheeks looked a bit pale, enhancing her freckles in the saddest way.

"Oh, baby, no. Of course not." She hurried to say, her voice cracking with emotion. She crouched to look at her in the eyes. "Never."

"But with what happened..."

"Eydis, I'll never get in the way between you and your passion. I promise."

The girl stretched her lips. "Olaf once said that talent is passion with practice!" She recited.

"He's right." Smiled Anna. "And you'll be the best handywoman there is if that's what you want to be."

"Of the entire world?" Beamed the girl.

"Of the _entire_ world." Grinned Anna, nudging her nose with hers.

They giggled, and Eydis tackled her mother in a hug. The redhead tightened her with just as much love.

Above her shoulder, she saw that Elsa was walking back to Nokk.

"I'm gonna say goodbye to your aunt. Stay here, okay? Little worthy one."

The girl giggled once again.

Anna walked to Elsa with endearment. Her elder was smiling widely, exhaling pure joy, leaning against a Spirit and being surrounded by the gust of another one. To the redhead, it was impossible to deny that she looked like a goddess right then. Being her sister filled her with pride.

"I'm gonna miss you."

"We had quite an adventure together, though." Snorted Elsa.

"Yeah, but still. Have a safe way back, okay?"

"You know Nokk. Even if you two still fight a bit, they'll always be careful with me."

Anna nodded. She then looked at Elsa with a sly smile.

"Say hi to my sister-in-law for me."

"Sure, she—"

Elsa suddenly froze.

"Wait, what? What did you just say?"

Anna grinned. "You seem to have understood."

Elsa blushed furiously. "Why do you— How do you— Honeymaren... How—"

The Queen now beamed at her sister's rare blabbering. "So I am right! You _do_ plan to ask for her hand!"

Elsa blushed harder, reaching impossible colors. For someone with pale skin, her face was as red as a tomato. Anna had never seen her being this embarrassed for her whole life, and yet they had lived many awkward situations.

The blonde lowered her eyes and gulped. "How could you tell?" She muttered.

Anna eyerolled.

"Elsa, _please_. You're my sister. I can read the signs. I've seen the way you look at her. Especially when she came to Arendelle last week. You were extremely relieved to know that she was alright once she crossed the storm. In a matter of fact, you're always in better mood when she's in the room."

Elsa scoffed, her blush fading a bit as she gulped again, and her eyes, still down, looked away as she smiled shyly.

"I do feel amazing every time I'm near her. Or rather, every time she's near me."

Anna smiled tenderly at the nuance.

"You're adorable."

The blush that had left Elsa's cheeks returned entirely. She lifted her eyes and saw Anna's wide smile, then bit her lip to hide the joy that invaded her mind.

"You're right. I do plan to ask her to marry me. This won't be easy, though. I need to ask for Yelena's blessing, and she was very busy training Honey to be the next tribe leader, so on her free time, she's either grumpy or with her. It's a headache."

The younger chuckled. "If that can reassure you, on this side, you have my blessing already."

Elsa had a sarcastic smile. "That's not how it works."

"I know." Smiled Anna. "But if Honeymaren comes to ask me for opinion before you get to propose to her, I am ready to give her."

Elsa's eyes started to glisten, and Anna continued before she would cry. "I wish you two the best there is."

The elder got speechless for a moment. "Anna, I... Thank you. I love you."

"I love you too." Winked the redhead.

She took the hands Elsa had been lifting. "You know, I've never seen you happier in your life than since you two met in the Forest that day. Those past years... She truly brought to light a side of your personality that only asked to be shown, and deserved to be. To see you this complete today makes me overjoyed. All is found... And in the Forest, you found your soulmate."

Elsa smiled, and was flustered at the last word. She wanted to tell her sister to not say it, but then retracted.

"Do you really think that she's my soulmate?"

"Honestly? You're a match that was meant to be. And I'm not saying that because I'm a huge fan of True Love."

The Snow Queen laughed, but fidgeted with her hands.

"Please don't tell Kristoff."

Anna was a bit surprised by the request, but was willing to help her no matter what.

"Okay. It's better to make it a surprise anyway."

"Yeah, and that's why I avoid telling Ryder as well, because him and Kristoff spend too much time together for the secret not to leak..."

"Now I get it." Laughed Anna. "Wait, Ryder doesn't know?"

"If I tell him, he'll insist that I do my proposition with reindeers and butterflies." Sighed Elsa.

They cackled together.

"Then I'll let you talk to her. But you _must_ message me as soon as it's done, hmmm?"

"I will." Smiled Elsa timidly.

Anna saw her sister's embarrassment, and changed the topic.

"Say, will you be able to explain to Honeymaren that the actual god of thunder landed into our hall and that we casually talked with him?"

Elsa laughed, then shrugged.

"As you know, the Northuldra don't have the same legends and beliefs than us. I'll spend a hard time introducing her to Norse mythology, and how we use it to explain lots of stuff in the world, which they justify by Nature's magic... Then I'll have to tell her what Mjöllnir is, then how it's exceptional that Eydis got to wield it..."

"Maybe you can show her a memory of it in Ahtohallan, as a proof?"

"She'll think that I crafted it for a joke."

Anna chuckled, and sighed.

"Indeed, it's tricky. It's a good thing that Thor went back with Mjöllnir, to be honest."

"Really? Don't you think Eydis would have loved to keep it? She would have been super epic." Smirked Elsa.

"Yeah, I can tell that you're not the one getting awake at 3 in the morning because she decided to build a desk."

She saw her sister's smile. "I'm serious. Sometimes she decides to nail stuff in random places. Imagine if she moved around a hammer that is capable to producing thunder.

Elsa laughed, feeling sorry for her sister and patting her shoulder.

"Well, if she develops powers, let me know."

"You'll obviously be in the first ones to be informed." Winked Anna.

It led to another thought of hers.

"Will you handle things well with the Giant that started it all? Do you need any help?" Proposed Anna.

Elsa smirked.

"Main advantage of being the Fifth Spirit? I'll scold Ruckus so hard he'll crumble."

Anna laughed. "Okay. See you then."

"See you next Friday." Smiled Elsa.

They hugged deeply, taking in the other's kindness and admiring her to no end. With their eyes closed, they stayed like that for a moment, enjoying the closeness, until Anna gently parted.

She huffed. "It's crazy to think that all this mess finished on the day we do game nights, uh?"

Her sister puffed. "Yeah. What a game. I'm happy I'll get a whole week to assimilate what happened. Please don't add 'god encounter' or 'Thor' to the charades papers, uh?"

"No problem." Laughed Anna.

They chuckled, and the redhead stepped back as Elsa skillfully climbed on Nokk's back in one swift move and placed them in direction. After a final glance at her younger, she gently tapped her ankles on the horse's belly, and the Water Spirit neighed cheerfully as they dashed to the North.

The family assembled on the shore, enlacing each other. They watched Elsa go, keeping their eyes on her until she disappeared on the faraway horizon line of the fjord.

Eydis lifted her head.

"Mama?"

"Yes, sweetheart?"

"Can I have a saw?"

Both of her parents widened their eyes. After a moment, Anna chuckled, and tapped her shoulder with a smile.

"I'll let you take it up with your father."

Kristoff startled. "Wait, what?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Annnnnd done! Waow, what a fanfic. I've done many short-length fanfics like those (my account attest of it) but "In the eye of the storm" truly took my soul and time. HOWEVER, as it miraculously dropped in a moment in time where we all got stuck indoors because of the quarantine / confining / social distancing period, I got all on my side to make neat and proper drafts.
> 
> Little advice while I'm at it: if you write down drafts manually with a pen and all, sort them by colors! This is how I was able to carry on with all that plot with Thor and Mjöllnir. In the margin, at every note I took, I added a color. Anyway, if I can be of help to other writers... ;)
> 
> Thank you so much for the support on Tumblr and guys, I truly appreciate it and it touches me a lot.
> 
> When you give compliments like 'oh this is so in-character!' or 'I laughed so hard at this scene!' or 'I totally picture this in my head waow!' it adds ten years to my life span, 500XP and a long happy giggle from me. So THANKS!
> 
> If you love my work, check out my profile :D
> 
> Have a beautiful day!


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